AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.
Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time, and you want to do everything you can to ensure they have the best start to life. It can quickly become overwhelming, especially if your new puppy gets sick. Despite all the things you can do to prepare, there may still be illnesses and reactions you can’t immediately identify. One of these, although rare, could be what’s known as “puppy strangles,” or juvenile cellulitis. It’s also sometimes called sterile granulomatous dermatitis and lymphadenitis.
Key Points
If your puppy suddenly develops dramatic swelling around the face, you might wonder if an insect has stung or bitten your pup or if they are having an allergic reaction. It might not occur to you, but they could be suffering from this rare disease.
What Is Puppy Strangles?
The name itself is probably enough to raise alarm bells, especially if you’ve heard of “strangles,” the highly contagious infection in horses. Luckily, despite sharing the same name, puppy strangles isn’t caused by an infectious bacterium and isn’t contagious to other dogs or humans. Instead, experts believe that a hereditary autoimmune issue likely triggers this uncommon skin disease. Puppy strangles is considered to be idiopathic, meaning the cause is unknown, and the disease can appear spontaneously.
This rare disease, which occurs mainly in puppies (hence the name), is rarely seen in older dogs. Most of the time, puppy strangles is treatable, but even if treatment is delayed, there can be lasting effects. If untreated, puppy strangles can be fatal.
Symptoms of Puppy Strangles
The early signs of juvenile cellulitis symptoms may resemble those of another viral infection: mumps. Swelling of the jaw and neck is common in mumps in dogs, so cases of this infection can be mistaken for puppy strangles early on.
“The most common clinical signs associated with puppy strangles would be swelling on the face—especially of the lips, eyelids, and muzzle—as well as ears, with hair loss and oozing pimples and enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw,” says Dr. Mitzi Clark, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Dermatology Section Chief, Cornell University – College of Veterinary Medicine.
Pustules, which are similar to pimples but contain yellow fluid called pus, also appear on your puppy’s skin when they have this condition. Less commonly, these bleeding, crusty lesions can spread from the head and neck to other parts of the body. As the lesions rupture, they can be painful. Pimples, particularly around the ears, can lead to secondary infection. In severe cases, permanent hair loss and scarring may occur.
Other symptoms can include lack of appetite, joint pain and swelling, fever, and lethargy. If you suspect puppy strangles or notice a sudden onset of these symptoms, call your veterinarian.
Which Dogs Are Most at Risk?
Typically, just one puppy from an otherwise healthy litter will develop the disease, if at all. Even if one puppy has puppy strangles, it won’t be passed on to other dogs in the litter. Symptoms normally appear between three weeks and four months of age. Veterinarians sometimes see it in older puppies, but it’s exceptionally rare in adult dogs.
“While a puppy of any breed could be affected, breeds such as the Golden Retriever, Miniature Dachshund, Gordon Setter, Labrador Retriever, Siberian Husky, Lhasa Apso, Beagle, Pointer, Rottweiler, Cairn Terrier, Weimaraner, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Miniature Poodle, English Springer Spaniel, and Chesapeake Bay Retriever may be predisposed,” says Dr. Clark.
It’s reassuring to note that, while this condition may appear during your puppy’s vaccination cycle, researchers have found no link between the two.
There’s no definitive way to prevent puppy strangles, but getting a puppy from a reputable breeder can decrease the chances of getting this condition. Responsible breeders will likely not breed adult dogs that had the disease as puppies, so that gene isn’t passed on. It’s crucial to notify your breeder if your puppy is diagnosed with puppy strangles. Diagnosis can help prevent the predisposition from being passed on.
Diagnosing Puppy Strangles
Don’t delay taking your dog to the vet if they show signs of facial swelling. Because the symptoms can be similar to those of other serious, often contagious diseases, your vet will want to rule out other causes. In rare cases, puppy strangles can be life-threatening, and prompt treatment reduces your pet’s discomfort and minimizes the chance of permanent hair loss or scarring.
A veterinarian might have reason to believe that a dog is suffering from the disease after they do a consultation and physical examination. However, they’ll typically perform further diagnostics to be sure that it’s puppy strangles. “Sometimes the diagnosis is made based on the exam findings, age, and clinical picture of the puppy. Testing such as skin cytology, skin scrapings, skin culture, and/or skin biopsy can be used to help support the clinical diagnosis and rule out other causes,” Dr. Clark says.
Other illnesses like demodectic mange, a parasitic skin infection, can sometimes be mistaken for puppy strangles, but skin scrapings would rule these out. Examining the contents of the pustules under a microscope would also rule out bacterial causes, unless your dog also has a secondary infection. Your veterinarian might recommend a skin biopsy under sedation when there is doubt. They may also suggest blood work or a chemistry panel if your pet has severe secondary symptoms, like a high fever.
Treatment Options for Puppy Strangles
Fortunately, the outlook for this rare disease is positive. “Most cases of puppy strangles will respond well to medications within a few weeks of treatment,” Dr. Clark says. Since it’s not contagious, other dogs in the litter won’t be affected, and you or other pets at home won’t get the disease.
Typically, when diagnosed, your dog would receive high doses of a steroid medication, such as prednisone. These drugs will work to suppress the immune system’s inappropriate response. Depending on the disease’s severity, they may also need antibiotics to treat secondary infections affecting your dog, in addition to puppy strangles.
Your puppy will usually return to their bouncy self within a couple of weeks, with no risk of recurrence. You’ll just need to allow some time for any patchy hair loss to regrow. Delays in treatment can result in some permanent bald patches and scarring.
Using topical treatments, such as medicated shampoos or creams, or dog-safe heat packs can help ease your dog’s discomfort. However, only apply these under advisement from your vet, as some could aggravate the symptoms.
Completing the full treatment dose as directed by your dog’s vet is vital for success. Don’t suddenly stop the medication without talking to your veterinarian. Be aware that, as a side effect of the drug, your dog may be thirstier and hungrier during that time.
A puppy strangles diagnosis can be frightening, but most puppies make a full recovery with prompt veterinary care. Catching the symptoms early and seeking treatment right away gives your puppy the best chance of success.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.