large swollen masses on necks of puppies

A stray dog came to our house and immediately had 8 puppies on July 5th. Two of them have large swollen masses (50% of the size of the head)on their neck and jaw area. The masses feel like a fatty tumor with hard spot in one of them. We probably can't afford to take them to the vet.

Should we attempt to lance or is there an explanation or home remedy you can think of which might reduce the suffering?




Hi
I'm afraid I'm not a veterinarian but I would absolutely advise you NOT to try to 'lance' these masses or anything of that kind. Chances are they're not just abscesses, and even IF they are, lancing them could cause more problems than it solves without further antibiotic treatment etc.

It sounds to me as though these pups may have something that's called 'puppy strangles'. It's an immune system condition and the swellings you notice are in fact hugely enlarged lymph nodes which are trying to fight the infection.

Treatment is absolutely essential as this won't cure itself. Generally antibiotics, often accompanied by corticosteroids, can completely eradicate the problem. I strongly advise you to get these little guys to a vet right away. If finances are a problem try talking to various local vets to see if you can work out a payment plan or something similar. Or call your local humane society and see if there are any low-cost veterinary programs in your area.

These pups are in pain and need someone to help them, I really hope you can do that for them. I wish you, and them, the very best of luck and hope that they are able to make a full recovery.