Swollen Wrist

[Guest ejw]

A week ago Jamaica was injured somehow -- vet thinks it was a raccoon. She saw the vet and got antibiotics for small wounds and her dental was delayed til today. The day after her "go-around" she suddenly started limping, but it appeared to be her chest that was bothering her. The next day, her chest was no longer hurting her, and she seemed fine, but she suddenly started limping badly and had a swollen "wrist". The vet thought she might have a sprain and said to keep her quiet for a while, which was no problem as she wasn't feeling too spunky -- slight fever and sore. Everything else seems to have healed or is well on the way, but the "swelling" has not gone down much at all, if any, and she still looks like she has a balloon at the joint. The vet xrayed and found nothing and ditto for an aspiration. It was soft and malleable, but now is hard. She suggested I put her in a tensor bandage to see if that would help, but I'm feeling like because it is not causing pain and she is using the leg, the vet is not overly concerned. I got more information on how great her teeth are than about the wrist. I, on the other hand, am very concerned! It is bothering her a bit tonight, but if I had a needle stuck in a joint it would bother me too. The strange thing is that she was licking the bottom of her foot, not the bump.

 

 

Has anyone seen something like this before, and what was the treatment used/suggested? This vet does treat greys, but I don't know how many or how often. She is aware of anesthesia protocol and the different blood values, etc. for greys.

 

Apologies in advance for the poor pic -- my batteries are dying and I can't get more til tomorrow. Plus Miss 'Maica, despite being a Drama Queen, really doesn't like having her picture taken if the flash is involved!

 

BTW, the little mutt is doing terrifically on insulin. She doesn't like the pokes, but doesn't fight them. She is no longer peeing and pooping all over the house, and I have my little energizer bunny back after less than a week!

[Batmom]

Might PM LynnM and ask her if she has any ideas -- she's seen a LOT of injuries of all sorts.

 

I might be inclined to do warm epsom salts soaks 2-3 times a day, 5-10 minutes a time, and see if that helps things at all.

 

Hope it turns out to be nothing!

[GeorgeofNE]

Did your vet take blood??

[Guest ejw]

The vet didn't mention taking any blood. She also didn't do any blood work up before Jamaica's dental -- is that normal? I'll get some epsom salts and try a soak. I assume I would use warm water for that?

[Guest TheDoggfather]

I cant tell from the angle, but, can you tell me if the swelling seems to be originating from the backside? Reason I ask is that there's a tendon that's attached to the stopper bone and sometimes if a dog plants it's footw/ too much force, it can create some damage there.

[Trudy]

That looks similar to what Ryan has on his hock - injury, swelling and it just turned into a hard lump - about 3 years ago and he still has his lump

[Guest ejw]

 

It's mostly on the side and somewhat to the front. The front part is still soft; just the side has gotten hard. She does have a "wart" on the bump, if that's a clue, but it was there well before she started limping. She doesn't like me handling it, but no flinching or tensing when I do. I assume the tendon is to the back? I hope it's not a tendon, but when I tore a tendon, there was no pain and I could walk. The doctor asked me to pull my foot up and I couldn't, but Jamaica has full range of motion.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I would vote for the soak with epsom salt as well. Be sure that the water is warm...not hot.Epsom salt is great for reducing swelling.

[Guest TheDoggfather]

We've had several dogs damage the tendon there... we call it a "blown stopper". It can effectively end a racers career... but, seeing as how we're not talking about an active racer, I think we're okay here

 

If that is indeed what it is, in the long run, it shouldn't pose too much of an issue. In the immediate, I'd do as suggested and soak it good w/ epsom salts. For all the reasons described above. Time and rest, if this is indeed the problem, will do your hound well. I'd continue to consult w/ your vet... cuz I'm certainly not one... I just deal w/ racers everyday and see stuff like this occaisionally.

[Guest ejw]

Thanks everyone. I'll do soaks and add the tensor bandage inbetween (if I can keep it on ) Hopefully we can get this lump outta here.

[Guest Hollys2hounds]

My Lexy has a very similar situation. Back in March she was playing in the yard, when out of no where, we heard a loud yelp!

Within seconds she was in the house, but she seemed to be fine. No limping, no symptoms of anything. The next day, we noticed a bump.

 

Of course my mind went right to very bad things! We took her to the vet, and at first he said he did not like the looks of it, but with out an x-ray we could not be sure. Could be a cyst, old injury, fracture, bone spur....

 

We also did the soaking route, but it didn't help.

 

At this point,

 

We watch it(the bump) like a hawk, but it does not give her one second of a problem or discomfort. Lexy runs, jumps and plays more like a maniac than any dog I have ever known. She is happy, and she has a wonderful appetite.

 

Her bump looks just like yours. Please PM me if you find out more... thanks so much.

 

PS-- Lexy's started out like a marble under the skin. It is hard, but she does not mind me touching it at all. It is in exactly the same place as yours. (Lexy's is front right leg) My vet looks at it every 2 weeks or so. We might have a consult with an orthopedic specialist....

 

Good luck!

Edited May 17, 2008 by Hollys2hounds

[Guest ejw]

 

I wrapped Jamaica's leg as per suggested by her vet, but she didn't go more than an hour each time before her toes swelled badly and she was in pain after I took the wrap off. Scared the bejeebers outta me! Soaks weren't helping.

 

Took her to a different vet recommended by others. Kind of a neat guy who runs through observations and possibilites out loud. He thinks it might be a lipoma which is usually benign and there is a possibility the "wart" is a melanoma because it is black. He said we could leave it and see if it grows, which it will likely not do if it's a lipoma, or he could remove tissue and the "wart" and find out what it is. I opted to find out what it is, so she has an app't for surgery. He's not thinking more invasive surgery as he said there are so many tendons at the joint for a tumour to wrap around that it's unlikely he would get it all. A lipoma can go for years without affecting her health. He thinks some is accumulated fluid, and it's not related to her injuries, which have all healed greyt. So far, it doesn't bother her. It bothers me what it might be.

 

I don't know why I opted to find out, because I wouldn't do chemo or radiation for me, let alone put my girl through it. But if it helps someone else who has the same thing show up ....

 

For now, I'll stay on the positive side and assume it's a lipoma and a wart ... and pray like crazy that it is.

[Burpdog]

And make sure he does blood work!

 

Sending prayers.

[Chicocat]

I wrapped Jamaica's leg as per suggested by her vet, but she didn't go more than an hour each time before her toes swelled badly and she was in pain after I took the wrap off.

 

I'm assumig you were using something like vet wrap. It's very easy to get it a little too tight and cause swelling.

[patricia]

Sending more prayers.

[Guest ejw]

Well, Jamaica had her surgery today. The vet showed me part of the tumor he removed; said it was a small part, but it looked huge to me for coming from such a skinny leg! He said it bled a lot and he had trouble stopping the bleeding. It bled through all the staples and stitches. He is sending it off for analysis, but seemed to have no doubt that it was an aggressive form and would reappear.

 

I have some questions and am looking for suggestions, ideas, shared experiences.

• She was walking fine when we came home, jumped in and out of the car by herself, but now she is limping. (Although it improved a bit when her mind was occupied by where she would chew on a turkey neck!) At least she is eating, although she hasn't had anything to drink yet; I'm hoping the moisture in the turkey neck has supplied some of the water she needs.

• From under the vet wrap, I can barely see her toes -- mostly all I can see are toe nails. Is it enough to make sure they are the same temp as her other foot? After the scary swelling from the other vet and myself wrapping her leg, I'm a bit paranoid. I don't want to loosen it because of the bleeding. She is due for a check in 5 days. I don't know if I can wait that long -- I really kind of feel kind of set adrift right now and scared and totally incompetent to deal with this.

• She doesn't seem to lift her foot high enough when coming up the two steps to the house and is knocking her toes on the steps -- not hard -- but .... Is this normal due to freezing and/or anesthetic?

I feel bad for her. She was scared and/or uncomfortable enough they called me to pick her up earlier. She is a bit spaced out yet, but it took almost a full day to get back to normal from her dental, so I was rather expecting that. She gave me a couple of licks, but is definitely not herself tonight. She did not seem thrilled to see me as usual and there has been very little tail wagging. I miss my bouncy pogo girl and sure hope a good night's sleep will bring her at least part way back!

 

I don't usually feel I can't deal with the aftereffects of surgery, but I am so scared tonight!

 

 

 

[Batmom]

When she came home, she might've been still spaced out AND under the influence of IV pain meds, hence no limping then vs. limping now. Also, legs are GREAT places to get seroma (harmless fluid accumulation) at an injury site, and that swelling can make an injury hurt more temporarily.

 

If that leg doesn't feel good or she's got some bandaging at the joint, she probably won't be using the leg quite as normal, hence knocking toes on steps.

 

Re the bandage and toes: If your vet is a good bandager, he'll have left the two middle toenails/toe-tips visible. You can usually tell if you've got bad swelling by watching those two toe-tips -- staying together, no swelling; moving apart, swelling. You can often also stick your finger up the bandage there and feel the toe joints -- nice and bony, no swelling; mooshy feeling, swelling.

 

Hope that helps a bit and that your pupper recovers quickly!

[patricia]

Sending prayers and gentle hugs.

[Guest ejw]

Finally, I am back on line. Gremlins running around the computer again, just when I least need them!

 

Batmom, thanks so much for the info. He did leave the two middle toes showing and so far everything is firm. That's what scared me before, when the toes got mooshy and there was pain when I unwrapped.

 

Some time during the night she joined me in bed per usual. She seems much better this morning. Ate a normal breakfast and finally drank a reasonable amount of water about an hour ago and is following me from room to room. She is taking her antibiotics so well. Even when I don't quite get it to the back of her throat, she still swallows it. She goes outside, but then just stands there, looks around, and wants back in again. Hasn't had a pee yet, but I suppose there's nothing to pee.

 

Thanks again for the information -- it's so helpful to know what to watch for.

[Guest ejw]

Well, the results are back and they are not good.

 

Jamaica has spindle cell sarcoma, malignant and invasive. He thinks the "wart" was part of it as they didn't indicate any other forms of cancer and he had a difficult time separating if from the other tumor due to bleeding. He said he has done surgery 4 times for this in the exact same place on another grey and the dog had 2 more years from initial diagnosis. It eventually burst and they put her/him down because they couldn't stop the bleeding.

 

I think we were both expecting this, but I had so hoped it would not be. ...

 

I don't know yet how I will manage this -- one day at a time, I guess. She was in so much pain after the surgery I'm not sure I want to put her thru that again. It seems so unfair as she is so full of the joy of life and so loving.

[Batmom]

 

I'm sorry the news isn't better.

 

You might PM Greytlady94 -- IIRC one of her dogs had a tumor that was managed with surgeries and maybe some radiation. Don't know if it was the same type or not.

 

I hope she has lots of quality time with you.

[ShantisMom]

I am sorry. I wish it were better news. No more than you I am sure. You know what is best for your girl. Hang in there and give her lots of loving!

[turbotaina]

I was wondering how your pup was doing. I'm sorry you didn't get better news.

 

[HopeForHounds]

I sent you a PM.