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Dog Swollen Face
My 7 year old Boston Terrier, Quincy, left cheeck swollen
Great appetite but doesn’t seem to get better with antibiotics.
Started past month. Bleeding from eyes past three days. At the veterinary hospital now.
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2 Replies
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My 7 year old 23 pound Boston Terrier has a swollen lump on one side of his cheek. This was a month ago when it startedI waited for the lump to heal and delayed taking him to the Veterinarian because I thought he had infection in his mouth such as infection on his teeth. Great appetite, gave him antibiotics, and hoped it would pop its skin and drain the fluid but did not work. Got worse. Took him to Westosha Animal Hospital. Blood test, X-rays, and a whopping bill of alcohol $700. Veterinarian says she couldn’t do anything and I had to take Quincy to a Oncologist due to the fact he has a tumor. The reason X-Rays were taken was to determine whether the tumor was malignant or benign. After reviewing the X-Ray, Dr. determined the cancer has not mesatisized which means spread throughout his entire body. She said it could spread his spleen and cannot determine without getting catscan. The cancer doctor would do the catscan under sedation. The Oncologist is a specialist and specializes in cancer. Can you please tell me what the oncologist may do, treatment he will apply, and most importantly the treatments being applied, and an estima8 costs? I ALREADY spent $700 which wiped out my bank account😚
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I’m sorry you and Boston Terrier Quincy are going through this. A fast-growing swollen cheek mass in a dog can be several things — dental abscess, salivary gland issue, cyst, enlarged lymph node, or a tumor involving the mouth, jaw, skin, or soft tissue. The fact that it did not respond to antibiotics and kept enlarging is why your veterinarian referred you to an oncologist.The good news is that the chest X-rays reportedly did not show obvious spread to the lungs, which is one of the first places many canine cancers metastasize. That does NOT automatically mean it is benign, but it is a positive sign.Here is what the oncologist will most likely do next:What The Veterinary Oncologist Will Likely Do1. Physical Exam And Review Of RecordsThe oncologist will:Review the bloodwork and X-raysExamine the cheek lump carefullyFeel lymph nodes under the jaw and neckLook inside Quincy’s mouth for:infected teethbone destructionoral tumorsgum massesjaw involvement2. Needle Aspirate Or BiopsyThis is the MOST important next step because nobody can know the treatment until they identify the exact tumor type.The oncologist may do:Fine needle aspirate (FNA)small needle removes cellssometimes done awakecheapermay not always give diagnosisORSurgical biopsysedation/anesthesiaremoves tissue samplemore accurateCommon tumors in this location include:Mast cell tumorSoft tissue sarcomaMelanomaSquamous cell carcinomaFibrosarcomaSalivary gland tumorOral cancer involving jawbone3. CT Scan (Likely)The CT scan helps determine:exact sizewhether bone is involvedif the jawbone is being destroyedif nearby lymph nodes are affectedwhether surgery is possibleThis is why sedation/anesthesia is usually needed.4. Staging“Staging” means determining whether the cancer spread.They may evaluate:lungslymph nodesspleenliverSometimes abdominal ultrasound is recommended if they suspect spread.Possible TreatmentsTreatment depends entirely on the tumor type and whether it spread.If It Is A Localized Tumor (Best Case)SurgeryThis is often the first recommendation.They may:remove the lumpremove surrounding tissue marginssometimes remove part of jawbone if oral cancerBoston Terriers often recover surprisingly well from oral surgery.Approximate CostSimple removal: $1,500–$3,000Complex oral/jaw surgery: $3,000–$8,000+If It Is Cancer But Has Not SpreadRadiation TherapyUsed when:tumor cannot fully be removedtumor is near important structuresCost$4,000–$8,000+ChemotherapyNot all dog cancers need chemo.Chemo is more common if:lymphomamast cell tumoraggressive/metastatic cancersDogs generally tolerate chemotherapy MUCH better than humans.Cost$200–$600 per sessionTotal often $2,000–$6,000+Palliative CareIf treatment is too expensive or cancer is advanced, the oncologist may offer comfort-focused treatment:pain medicationssteroidsantibiotics if secondary infectionanti-inflammatory medsappetite supportThis can still provide meaningful quality time.Estimated Costs You May FaceHere are realistic ranges in 2026:ServiceEstimated CostOncology consultation$150–$350Needle aspirate$150–$400Biopsy$500–$1,500CT scan with sedation$1,500–$3,500Surgery$1,500–$8,000+Radiation$4,000–$8,000+Chemotherapy$2,000–$6,000+Unfortunately, veterinary oncology becomes very expensive very quickly.Important Questions To Ask The OncologistWrite these down before you go:What type of tumor do you suspect?Is this definitely cancer or still uncertain?Is surgery possible?Has the jawbone been invaded?What is Quincy’s prognosis with treatment?What is the prognosis without treatment?What would YOU do if this were your dog?What are ALL expected costs before proceeding?Are there lower-cost alternatives?Can we do biopsy first before CT scan?That last question matters financially because sometimes biopsy results guide whether an expensive CT scan is worthwhile.One Very Important ThingDo not feel guilty for initially thinking it was a dental infection. Many cheek tumors in dogs look exactly like abscesses early on. Even veterinarians sometimes initially suspect teeth before imaging or biopsy.Also, “has not metastasized” is one of the better things you could have heard so far.If you want, I can also help you understand:which cancers are most common in Boston Terrierssurvival rates by tumor typelower-cost treatment optionsveterinary schools or cancer centers with lower pricingwhether CareCredit or nonprofit assistance programs may helphow to tell if the tumor is likely oral cancer versus infection based on symptoms and appearance
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