Juvenile cellulitis, also called puppy strangles, is an immune-mediated skin disease of young dogs causing painful facial lesions and requiring early aggressive treatment to prevent scarring.
Juvenile cellulitis causes acute pain and discomfort through extensive facial pustulation, lymph node swelling, and the distress of secondary bacterial infection. Affected puppies are often systemically unwell with lethargy and reduced appetite. The pain from swollen lymph nodes that progress to abscessation is significant. Early diagnosis and prompt immunosuppressive treatment with prednisolone resolves the condition rapidly and prevents the permanent scarring that occurs in untreated or late-treated cases. Welfare outcomes are directly linked to speed of diagnosis and appropriate treatment initiation.