swelling in jaw of beagle

Question
Our 11 year old beagle has had a lot of ear problems (allergy related)over the years, and has been to the vet for treatment of these often.  Lately, he has developed a rather large swelling in his jaw area, close to the ear in which he's had most of his problems. This swelling doesn't seem to be painful for him.  If we press on it, there is no reaction.  It is soft, not hard.  Any ideas of what this could be, and should we seek medical treatment?  Also, this same beagle has a couple of large skin tabs.  These do not bother him, but they are very unsightly.  Can these be removed? We are reluctant to take him to our vets because one of the doctors in the practice has recommended putting our dog to sleep because he thinks the dog is neurotic...we disagree. Thank you for your time and help.

Answer
Any abnormal swelling should be investigated.  It could be a salivary cyst or an abscess.  Your vet will need to put a needle into this swelling to see if it is fluid or tissue.

Small skin tags can easily be removed.  I use a laser to remove these which does not require suturing.  They are mostly benign.

I would be suspicious of any veterinarian that recommends euthanasia frivolously.