wtf? dogs eye is swollen

wtf? some thing is wrong with my dog. His right eye has started to swell over a couple days each day getting worse. When i could see it it was a dark red color. He also has scratches on his face and i have no clue whats wrong with him. His eye is completly swolen shut now. I guess it itches since he scrapes his head on anything he sees. Can this go away by itself? Is it fatal? Will he go blind? Is there something I can make that will help him? Please help chuk.

[Ghilly]

We here at MedHelp can give lots of advice on everything from food to training to making SUGGESTIONS as to what a medical problem might be, but when it comes to actually diagnosing something from the descriptions that are written here, it really can't be done.  The best thing I can tell you is to make an appointment with your vet and have him check out your dog to see what the problem might be.

In the meantime, it SOUNDS as though he has maybe been bitten by some sort of insect, perhaps a spider.  In the wintertime, many insects that usually spend their time outdoors in the warmer weather, migrate indoors and cross the paths of us and our pets much more often than they do when they're outside.  It's possible that your dog was nosing around somewhere and was bitten by a spider.  It's also, depending on where you live, not impossible that he could have been stung by something while he was outside.  If you live in the deep south, it's possible to be stung by a bee or wasp at this time of year.  

I would, as I have already suggested, call the vet and tell him about this.  Ask him if you can give the dog a dose of Benadryl until you can get him in to be examined.  Most of the time, in the case of insect bites or allergic reactions to things, Benadryl will help to take the swelling down and make the animal feel better because it will also help any itching he's experiencing.  As far as permanent damage to the eye, that can only be determined by a veterinary examination.  

Since it has aoready been a few days since this started, and since it doesn't seem to be resolving on its own yet, I wouldn't wait any longer.  I would call the vet NOW and see if he can see your dog either today or first thing tomorrow, and ask if you can give the Benadryl in the meantime.  Please post back and let us know what the vet says.

Ghilly