Swelling & Osteo

[Guest gurehaundo]

I just did a search both online and in the Health and Medical forum on here, and I still have a couple of questions. Let me tell you about Jac's predicament first. Jac was outside running around. The neighbor's Pointer came over again - that's another story - and he, and my dogs, seem to love to run back and forth along the fence. I was not home at the time, but my husband was. He heard a lot of barking and activity going on. When he went to get the dogs, he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. When I got home about an hour later, I noticed that Jac was limping. I looked him over thinking that maybe he had cut himself on something while running with the Pointer. There was nothing except that the part of his leg in front of his elbow was swollen. We just figured that maybe he had pulled a muscle. My first thought was osteosarcoma. I've not had any experience with this awful disease, but I've read so much about it on here. My husband thinks we should wait a couple of days to see if the swelling goes down. So for right now we're just keeping him comfortable. He ate all of his dinner yesterday and most of his breakfast today. He has this weird thing that if he doesn't poo in the morning, he won't finish all of his breakfast. So I'm not too concerned with that.

 

The swelling started yesterday morning. This morning the whole right leg (arm, actually) is swollen whereas it was only around the elbow area yesterday. He did go outside earlier today and trotted back to the house bearing weight on his leg (arm) when I called him. Jac does walk weird - he kind of looks like he waddles like a duck - so he looked normal. Also, Jac hardly ever stands up and he's always been like this. If we go for a car ride, he immediately lays down. He doesn't care about looking out the windows or anything. He will lay down anywhere and everywhere if he has to wait for anything. Jac is five years old. We adopted him almost three years ago.

 

So I've read that in some cases, there has been swelling near the site of the cancer. For those of you who have experienced this, did the swelling start in one place and then spread? Did it ever subside? I've read some threads on here where some people will wait a few days before getting X-rays done. My husband is the wait-and-see type. I'm the one who is wanting to take Jac to the vet, like yesterday, but I'm trying to be patient. While trying to be patient, I'm also trying to become more informed. There are a bazillion topics about osteo in Health and Medical, but I would like to hear from those who have experience with swelling of the front appendages of their Greyhounds, particulary where the swelling is near the elbow (or at least starts near there).

[tbhounds]

I wonder if your pup just has a soft tissue injury. I would still take him to the veds to be evaluated. Your vet may want him placed on a NSAID.

[NeylasMom]

It sounds less likely to be osteo to me, but if the swelling is as severe as you describe it, I think he needs to be taken to the vet regardless. I would think it would be important to distinguish between swelling and edema (the latter could be more dangerous) and to at least get him an NSAID for the swelling if he's just got a muscle injury. That sounds painful!

[GeorgeofNE]

It sounds less likely to be osteo to me, but if the swelling is as severe as you describe it, I think he needs to be taken to the vet regardless. I would think it would be important to distinguish between swelling and edema (the latter could be more dangerous) and to at least get him an NSAID for the swelling if he's just got a muscle injury. That sounds painful!

 

I agree. He needs to be seen. Maybe not necessarily x-rays (although typically a couple shots of a leg aren't that expensive), but he needs to be seen.

[robinw]

I agree with taking him to the vet. Swelling doesn't always mean osteo, just as osteo doesn't always have swelling.

[Charlies_Dad]

Agree with others, he needs to see the vet whether it's Osteo or not. Likely it's something else but that swelling needs to be checked and an x-ray may not be a bad idea. Some of the pups are very stoic about pain.

[Guest gurehaundo]

Thank you! I feel much better now. Maybe I'm just a little paranoid. This morning Jac's leg looks normal, but he's seeing a vet anyway. Thank you again!