Please Help - Shelby Has An Inner Thigh Bulge

[Guest ShelbysMom]

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Shelby has a large bulge on her inner thigh of her left hind leg. She had been laying around after dinner for a good couple of hours. When she got up to move, she wouldn't lift her back leg at all. When I went to her I quickly found this bulge that had not been there earlier. She wimpered when I barely touched it.

 

DH muzzled her while I tried to exam her further. There seems to be no bruise, just a very hard and swollen spot on her muscle.

 

Can it be a charlie horse or cramp? What should I do to help her?

[seeh2o]

Poor baby. Is it red and/or warm to the touch? Could it be a bee sting, insect bite or a spider bite?

Edited March 9, 2008 by ckruzan

[Guest ShelbysMom]

I honestly think it is a charlie horse, but even if I barely touch her she screams in agony. Of course greyhounds are notoriously big babies about pain. However, my heart can't take her crying, so I am afraid to massage the leg.

 

I've given her an 81mg aspirin.

 

What else can I do?

[seeh2o]

Maybe try a warm compress. Can she walk on it? Maybe get her to move around and stretch it out. I'm trying to remember what I've done when I had one!

 

So true about what big babies they can be, Carl is getting better, but when I first got him he was quite cry baby. If my foot even slightly brushed over his he'd start wailing.

 

[Guest ShelbysMom]

She won't walk on it at all. I have a heating pad between her hind legs right now, and am monitoring it so it won't get too hot.

 

Nothing seems to be working to relax it though.

[RobinM]

I don't think a charley horse would cause a buldge. Someone else on GT JUST went through this ( is currently going through it, Freddygirl) with Molly. For Molly it started out as a lump on the side of her face. Vet thought it was a bite rom a spider.

 

Here is the link. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=194479

 

I would bring her to the vet tomorrow if no better.

Edited March 9, 2008 by RobinM

[seeh2o]

Do you have a banana? Try giving her a few bites of banana (mash it up with peanut butter). Potassium is a mineral that helps regulate muscle contractions. If she needs potassium that should make it go away fairly quickly.

[Guest ShelbysMom]

No banana's in the house right now.

 

If it helps, the tightness (bulge) is bigger than my fist. There is absolutely no visible discoloration on the skin.

 

She's just laying there staring at me as if to will me to make it all better.

[Guest houndlover]

She's just laying there staring at me as if to will me to make it all better.

 

 

That's the worst part b/c you don't know what to do to make it better. I would keep applying heat. I hope she is feeling better soon.

[seeh2o]

Here are some other foods high in potassium, you may have some of these in your kitchen:

 

Food, measurement, # of mg

Apricots, dried 10 halves 407

Avocados, raw 1 ounce 180

Bananas, raw 1 cup 594

Beets, cooked 1 cup 519

Brussel sprouts, cooked 1 cup 504

Cantaloupe 1 cup 494

Dates, dry 5 dates 271

Figs, dry 2 figs 271

Kiwi fruit, raw 1 medium 252

Lima beans 1 cup 955

Melons, honeydew 1 cup 461

Milk, fat free or skim 1 cup 407

Nectarines 1 nectarine 288

Orange juice 1 cup 496

Oranges 1 orange 237

Pears (fresh) 1 pear 208

Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted 1 ounce 187

Potatoes, baked, 1 potato 1081

Prune juice 1 cup 707

Prunes, dried 1 cup 828

Raisins 1 cup 1089

Spinach, cooked 1 cup 839

Tomato products, canned sauce 1 cup 909

Winter squash 1 cup 896

Yogurt plain, skim milk 8 ounces 579

 

 

I don't think a charley horse would cause a buldge. Someone else on GT JUST went through this ( is currently going through it, Freddygirl) with Molly. For Molly it started out as a lump on the side of her face. Vet thought it was a bite rom a spider.

 

Here is the link. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=194479

 

I would bring her to the vet tomorrow if no better.

 

It made me think of Molly, too, that's why I thought it might be an instect bite or sting.

[DaisyDoodle]

Please don't give raisins--they are toxic to dogs.

[Guest ShelbysMom]

I've started a new topic. It's now a HUGE bruise.

[seeh2o]

Please don't give raisins--they are toxic to dogs.

 

Thanks so much for catching that, I overlooked it. I'd also add, if there is anything on that list that makes human pooh runny it will surely do the same for a greyhound...PRUNES, etc.

[BrGreyhndz]

Torn muscle? Do you have Care of the Racing Greyhound? Its a fairly usual spot for them to tear.

[patricia]

Please don't give raisins--they are toxic to dogs.

 

Thanks so much for catching that, I overlooked it. I'd also add, if there is anything on that list that makes human pooh runny it will surely do the same for a greyhound...PRUNES, etc.

Prunes are also on the NO list. Hope your little girl feels better soon.

[silverfish]

I've never heard that prunes are on the toxic foods list. I do know you're not supposed to let them eat - especially not chew - the stones, on the basis that some fruit stones contain cyanide, and that they can cause obstructions or damage to the gut in the same way that cooked bones can.

 

I'm also doubtful that eating potassium rich food can deal with an acute attack of cramp, though it might go some way to preventing future attacks.

[Guest longdogs]

It could be a muscle or tendon injury and probably needs to be checked by a vet. Ice packs will help meanwhile.

 

I don't know of any reason why prunes would be a problem, nor any particular reason to give them to your dog except as an occasional treat. It is highly unlikely your dog would ever consume enough stones to get a toxic dose of cyanide, all those stones would have to be cracked and remain in your dogs innards long enough to do harm too. It just won't happen - especially not with prunes where you would expect a fast transit.

[GeorgeofNE]

George has a bulge in his hind leg--I call it the "afterburners," but it's those big muscles in the butt. It's a dropped muscle, meaning the tendon holding it at one end snapped.

 

Probably what ended his racing career--does not cause him any discomfort NOW, but I imagine it hurt like the dickens when it happened.

 

I'm going to assume you've taken Shelby to the vet if this lump hasn't gone away by now (Monday)!!

 

I hope she's doing better today.