Leg Mass/bulge

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Hello, everyone. I haven't been on GT in a while. My boy I adopted, Algonquin in April 2009 came to me with a small mass on his inner right rear thigh. The vet didn't think much of it, possibly an old racing injury - muscle tear and told me to keep an eye on it. It's gotten larger, so on Friday, I took him in. The vet recommended putting his under anesthesia; taking some x-rays; then doing a "punch incision", taking a sample out, looking at it under the microscope (in-house) and sending out the sample for pathology as well (just to be safe); then making a decision to close it up, or remove it. Of course, being that this is very costly, I have to save for it, but I'm scared that if it is cancer, I don't want to wait. He's only 3 and the vet doesn't think it's cancer, but of course, I'm very gun-shy as I lost my last boy, Je t'aime at age 5 to the end result of babesia. Any past experiences or advice would be so appreciated. Thank you!

[Batmom]

Would make more sense to me to skip the anaesthesia and just do an x-ray and fine needle aspirate. Easier on the pup, same result.

 

Is there any pain or redness associated with the bump? Can you take a picture and post it? It's possible that what you're seeing is a partial muscle tear that's torn further, and bunch of people here would recognize that.

[Guest HighMaintenance]

That's what I was thinking (do an x-ray and fine needle aspirate). I will get a picture and post it, great idea! Thank you!

Would make more sense to me to skip the anaesthesia and just do an x-ray and fine needle aspirate. Easier on the pup, same result.

 

Is there any pain or redness associated with the bump? Can you take a picture and post it? It's possible that what you're seeing is a partial muscle tear that's torn further, and bunch of people here would recognize that.

[silverfish]

Would make more sense to me to skip the anaesthesia and just do an x-ray and fine needle aspirate. Easier on the pup, same result.

 

Is there any pain or redness associated with the bump? Can you take a picture and post it? It's possible that what you're seeing is a partial muscle tear that's torn further, and bunch of people here would recognize that.

 

That's what I was going to say. As soon as I saw the title of the thread I thought 'dropped muscle'. Renie had a big one, the insides of her thighs were really quite different in appearance. I think I have a picture somewhere ... but I can't find it. If I do, I'll post it, but meanwhile it would be useful if the OP would post one, because as you say, lots of people would recognise a dropped muscle.

[Guest HighMaintenance]

What is the treatment for dropped muscle? I saw a picture of it on Google images and thought it looked similar. It's something the vet is considering. I'll try to get a pic tonight and post tomorrow. Thank you!

 

Would make more sense to me to skip the anaesthesia and just do an x-ray and fine needle aspirate. Easier on the pup, same result.

 

Is there any pain or redness associated with the bump? Can you take a picture and post it? It's possible that what you're seeing is a partial muscle tear that's torn further, and bunch of people here would recognize that.

 

That's what I was going to say. As soon as I saw the title of the thread I thought 'dropped muscle'. Renie had a big one, the insides of her thighs were really quite different in appearance. I think I have a picture somewhere ... but I can't find it. If I do, I'll post it, but meanwhile it would be useful if the OP would post one, because as you say, lots of people would recognise a dropped muscle.

[silverfish]

What is the treatment for dropped muscle? I saw a picture of it on Google images and thought it looked similar. It's something the vet is considering. I'll try to get a pic tonight and post tomorrow. Thank you!

 

I know it sounds odd, since it's such a big looking thing, but usually the treatment is ... absolutely nothing.

 

Of course, when it first happens, ice is good, so is rest. But once the bruising and swelling are gone, and the dog is no longer lame, you can just ignore it. It's a waste of time considering stitching it back up in place, because there's a very very high likelihood it would just tear again. The dogs manage perfectly well with it healed into the dropped position, and don't appear to be at all inconvenienced. Renie was a lazy hound, but she'd do just as long a walk as Jim or Jack, and wasn't ever sore afterwards.

 

So, if there's bruising or swelling, you can ice it several times a day, and rest him till it all settles. Make sure (if you do that) to wrap your ice in a thin towel to protect the delicate skin inside the thigh from burning. But really, if there's no sign of redness or swelling you can just leave it.

 

Check with the vet though, because as Batmom says, we can't diagnose things online, just give you advice and maybe a few pointers.

[Guest Heehoo]

I'm thinking the same thing...if there is no "bump" "pimple" looking thing it cold be exactly that, a dropped muscle. I had one with that & the hind leg just looked different from the rear & its usually on the inside of the back legs. If you can, take a picture from the rear of the hind legs, and then if possible the inside. I would hate for you to put him through all this pain for that.

 

Also, I would call your adoption group & see if that's the reason he retired. Pegasus retired for that reason. If they don't know, ask them if they can give you the number to his racing kennel/trainer who will probably remember. 

 

 

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Thank you all for this wonderful advice. I was thinking the same thing - if he came to me like that, it's possible he retired b/c of that. I will e-mail my adoption group's coordinator today and ask about it. I already e-mailed his foster parents to inquire about the same. I wasn't able to get a picture of it last night, so I'll try tonight. I'll get one of the inside of the leg and one from the rear - good idea. Thank you again. I'm starting to feel so much better about this. Thank you!

PS - there is no redness or pain associated with the mass - never has been. It also doesn't affect his movement at all.

[Guest HighMaintenance]

So, talked w/ my adoption group and found out his total racing history. The adoption coordinator that transported him to my group believes it is a case of "dropped muscle". When I finally get a picture I'll post it here and send it to him as well. I talked w/ my vet last night and he's fine w/ doing a few x-rays and fine needle aspirate (while he's mildly sedated so he doesn't flop around during the x-rays). It will still be expensive w/ all the biopsy testing, x-rays, meds, etc., but it will put my mind at ease that it's nothing to be concerned with.

Has anyone had an experience w/ "Dropped Muscle"? Does it have any long-term complications?

[Batmom]

Lots of folks here have experience with them. If no one responds in a decent amount of time, PM me and I'll tweak some folks. If the muscle hasn't torn all the way, at some future time it might tear further and you could have a reasonably brief period of swelling, bruising, and soreness, easily treated with ice, anti-inflammatory meds, and rest. Otherwise your pup just has asymmetry. IIRC LynnM calls it the "funky booty club."

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Thank you SO much! After I post the picture, talk to the adoption transporter (sending him the picture as well), hopefully I'll get some answers. His bum does look funny. He'll be happy to become a member of the funky booty club

[turbotaina]

Yup, sounds like a dropped muscle. What may have happened in your dog's case is that it was a partial drop, then the dog played/ran around and completely dropped it (i.e., complete tear of the attachement of the muscle, so that the muscle looks like a bunched knot where it dropped down; this would make the buch appear bigger than initially because it was completely dropped after being partially dropped, if that makes sense). One of my adopters lure coursed his pup and dropped the muscle. They had him off on rest and icing, etc., then a few weeks later, he was running around with the family's other dogs and he ended up dropping the same muscle again (complete drop) and also dropping the one on the opposite inner thigh. He gets around just fine. They have no effect whatsoever on pet life

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Hi everyone. So, I talked to the vet and we decided to go w/ the x-rays and fine needle aspiration of the mass (this past Friday), while Algonquin was under a mild sedative. Well, I got a call during the day from the vet w/ "good news/bad news". Good news - the x-rays showed nothing that would lead us to believe it was osteo (thank GOD). The fine needle aspiration - couldn't get a good sample and when he looked at it under the microscope in-house, it wasn't a sufficient sample and he didn't want to send it out for pathology and have it come back as unsuitable for testing, so he said he wanted to go w/ the original plan of opening up the mass and doing some punch biopsies as well as actually looking at it inside (while under general anesthesia). Got another call a half-hour later saying in his entire career (he's a very grey-savvy vet), he has never seen anything like this. The mass didn't look like a muscle tear b/c it was not in a ball shape - it was triangular. And, there was nothing holding up the mass. He said he had no idea what it was, but we'll send out the biopsy and wait for the 5-7 days for the results. In the meantime, my poor boy has a 2 1/2" incision w/ stitches that I need to keep clean. Well, we both work outside of the house and the E-collar I got from the vet won't stay on (his head an neck are the same size!). So, we tried wrapping it with vet wrap - wouldn't stay on (b/c of where the mass is on the inside of the leg - the wrap wouldn't stay on). So, I have a call into the vet for another suggestion. Does anyone have any ideas to keep him from licking his wound and the stitches? Thank you!

[Guest GryffinSong]

Not sure how low this is on the leg, but if you can put a t-shirt or other outfit on him that'll cover that area, sometimes that's enough to keep them from licking.

 

Hugs and good luck!

[Guest HighMaintenance]

It's right up on his inner right thigh - you can see the mass when he's standing up - right near the butt (which is why it's so darn difficult to keep any bandange on it). I think I'll try doing a backwards t-shirt w/ legs to keep him from licking. We'll see what we can whip up tonight. Thank you!

Not sure how low this is on the leg, but if you can put a t-shirt or other outfit on him that'll cover that area, sometimes that's enough to keep them from licking.

 

Hugs and good luck!

[Guest goofydog]

Try a pair of mens small boxer briefs. They can be turned around so his tail can go through the opening. Gentle scritches to your boy.

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Thank you. My vet just called w/ that very idea. But, my BFs father just came over to check on him and he said he's keeping the bandage on (it's a 2x4" large band-aid that we put over the stiches this morning - making sure that the gauze pad fully covered the stiches and the sticky part was just surrounding it). He's a good boy for keeping it on! We'll try the boxers tonight.

[greyhead]

Our Shane had what this sounds like, a dropped gracilis muscle. Our vet, who was very experienced and highly regarded, had never seen it either. But this is WA, after all -- no racing anywhere near. So he called a colleague in Florida, who told him what it was and that no treatment was required.

 

It seems to have happened before he came, but it takes a long time for the muscle to drop all the way. That's why it looks bigger now than before.

 

Do what you have to do, but I hate to see you going to all this trouble and expense because your vet is unfamiliar with this. Any chance you could urge him to get a consult with a vet who knows about dropped gracilis muscles in greyhounds?

[Guest HighMaintenance]

First, thank you so much for this valuable info. I feel, in my heart, that's what it is (dropped muscle). The thing about my vet - he went to vet school @ Mississippi State Univ. and they did the medical care with all the track greyhounds in Miss. Then, when he came up here, he worked at the vet clinic that the first greyhound group in this area brought in their dogs upon transfer to Buffalo, so he has treated thousands of hounds.

 

But, maybe b/c he's treated so many "fresh off the track", he hasn't seen as many that have been in homes for a longer period of time.

 

Does anyone know if Dr. Coutu @ OSU have a lot of experience with this?

 

Our Shane had what this sounds like, a dropped gracilis muscle. Our vet, who was very experienced and highly regarded, had never seen it either. But this is WA, after all -- no racing anywhere near. So he called a colleague in Florida, who told him what it was and that no treatment was required.

 

It seems to have happened before he came, but it takes a long time for the muscle to drop all the way. That's why it looks bigger now than before.

 

Do what you have to do, but I hate to see you going to all this trouble and expense because your vet is unfamiliar with this. Any chance you could urge him to get a consult with a vet who knows about dropped gracilis muscles in greyhounds?

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Finally have pictures (the stitches are from the surgical biopsy on Friday). The patology report says myxomatous cellular proliferation, and that the observed mass bay represent a myxoma (benigh mesenchymal neoplasm). So, they don't know what it is and either does my vet. I've asked my vet to send all records to Dr. Couto and we'll see if he can figure it out...

 

Edited January 28, 2010 by HighMaintenance

[greyhead]

Sounds like a good plan. Hope you'll let us know what they think. But we have to wait until Tuesday, right? Continued good thoughts for healing.

[Guest HighMaintenance]

Yes, Dr. Couto @ OSU doesn't return until Tuesday. I haven't heard back from my vet, so hopefully he can get everything out today to Dr. Couto. I'll keep you posted Thank you!

name='greyhead' date='29 January 2010 - 02:52 AM' timestamp='1264751543' post='4407710']

Sounds like a good plan. Hope you'll let us know what they think. But we have to wait until Tuesday, right? Continued good thoughts for healing.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

Just checked out your photos and it really doesn't look like a muscle tear that I have seen.

 

Normally when a hound pulls/drops/tears that back muscle it is more bunched up looking lower. Where your boy has this big solid bump higher up.

With a tear, it normally creates a pocket or sort of like a deep indent I guess is the best way to describe it.

 

One thing that does stand out a bit is how the muscle looks under that bump. If you compare it to the other leg you can see that it doesn't have much muscle and is more flat looking under that lump.

 

 

With a fresh tear/pull or drop it can sometimes look like your hounds photo but add bruising. Then in a few days the swelling starts to go down and you can see a more dropped look to it.

 

What I find odd about your boys photos is that it looks very symmetrical.

[Guest HighMaintenance]

That's really the way my vet tried to explain it to me why he didn't think it was a tear. Thank you for the "lay person" explaination, it's much appreciated. I am at a loss on what to do...

 

Just checked out your photos and it really doesn't look like a muscle tear that I have seen.

 

Normally when a hound pulls/drops/tears that back muscle it is more bunched up looking lower. Where your boy has this big solid bump higher up.

With a tear, it normally creates a pocket or sort of like a deep indent I guess is the best way to describe it.

 

One thing that does stand out a bit is how the muscle looks under that bump. If you compare it to the other leg you can see that it doesn't have much muscle and is more flat looking under that lump.

 

 

With a fresh tear/pull or drop it can sometimes look like your hounds photo but add bruising. Then in a few days the swelling starts to go down and you can see a more dropped look to it.

 

What I find odd about your boys photos is that it looks very symmetrical.

[greyhead]

I'm sorry things aren't clarified yet, hon. You've done everything you can for now. Your pup's not in any pain, right? So Tuesday isn't that far away, and I'd suggest you sit tight until you hear back from Dr. Couto. Please know we're thinking about you and supporting you meanwhile, however invisibly! And I can't tell you why but I feel like it's all going to be okay. Sticking my neck out in public here! Hope it helps a little!