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My dog's nose is swollen, itchy, and lumpy. Could it be an allergy?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 2 years and 5 months old

My dog all of a sudden started scratching the side of his nose and now it's becoming swollen and when I touch the side of his nose it's feels like hard balls.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 16th, 2018

This is most likely due to an allergic reaction. On the muzzle this is usually happens with an insect sting, or reaction to a poisonous plant (i.e. poison oak). This is usually temporary, but can lead to a skin infection, so it's good to flush the area with cool water 2-3 times a day. Flush the area using a syringe or other dispensing device with cool water for five minutes. This may not be easy, because dogs tend to hate water getting near their face. I recommend having someone help you with holding Bob to make sure the area gets flushed well. After flushing, you can apply aloe gel to the area to provide more relief. If the swelling is not going down within two days, then I would reccomend taking him to the vet for an evaluation. It may take a week for it to look normal, but it should start to look better within a couple of days. These reactions have the potential to get worse, so if the swelling is increasing, or Bob is having trouble breathing, then be he should go to the vet as soon as possible for treatment. I hope that helps and Bob gets better soon.

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