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Bump In Tendon On Lower Rear Leg


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Last night I discovered an approximately pea-sized bump on the inner back surface of Beth's rear leg -- low down, maybe two inches above her foot. It's not in the skin but felt attached to a ligament or tendon underneath -- doesn't seem to cause her pain to palpate, and she is not lame. She did do the longest, hardest run she's done in a while yesterday morning and seemed very stiff and sore all over last night, but was not limping on that leg specifically -- or maybe a little when she first got up but then as she got moving her gait seemed normal. This is the opposite leg to the one with the toe amputation.

 

I spent a mostly sleepless night worrying and got her to the vet before 8:00 this morning. The vet palpated it a lot while moving her foot and agrees it is in/on a tendon. He thinks that "in an athletic greyhound" it is mostly likely be a tendon injury (maybe an older injury calcified, but I know that bump has not been there for a long time or I would have noticed it). Thank goodness, he says that he has virtually never seen cancer in a tendon, but he did a cytology (wasn't able to get many cells from a tendon though) and I am awaiting the results. It's definitely not an osteo presentation, something even I was able to guess in all my anxiety.

 

He warned me the bump may get temporarily bigger after having a needle stuck in it, and recommended restricted exercise (no running) for at least a few days.

 

Any thoughts or experiences? I know so long as it turns out not be a malignancy and she's not limping it probably isn't anything TOO serious, but I am still quite worried at the emergence of a new problem.

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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Sounds like a set bow.


Or if you're sure it hasn't been there long, she may have recently bowed it.


Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

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Here is a picture -- I didn't think I could capture it but sideways you can see the outline of the bump. And I think her tendon above it is a bit enlarged too, compared to the other leg.

 

downsized_0607131006_zps3b9a67ee.jpg

Edited by PrairieProf

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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No abnormal cells in the cytology. I'm going to start her on laser therapy tomorrow; my vet and I are big believers in that. Started icing it this morning. She's also on Deramaxx.

 

It is clear that I need to be much more conservative about resting this injury than I was initially thinking or the vet suggested this morning, even though she does not seem to be in pain/lame. Damn.

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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If it's not bothering her, you're probably OK to do a fair bit of wandering on leash. Not the same as excitement at the dog park, I know, but from your pictures you have some very nice places to walk and hang out :) .

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Watching her like a hawk on our midday potty walk, maybe that leg is a tiny bit stiff in how she's moving it -- but not a limp that I'd notice if I wasn't paying attention, and she trots readily. Thanks for the encouragement. It's not a huge thing not to go to the park if we can take nice walks -- although she does tend to get crazy and jump around on leash. I'm going to keep it really limited for a few days at least, and consult further with my vet tomorrow.

Edited by PrairieProf

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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Beth had her first of a series of laser therapy appointments this morning. The good news is that the vet thinks the lumps are notably smaller than they were yesterday. No heat in them so he doesn't think icing or any other topical treatment is necessary -- some racing folks online were recommending DMSO and other stuff but he seemed to think that was overkill. (She is on Deramaxx too.) She doesn't seem to be in any discomfort but I am still nervous not to know exactly what we are dealing with. I guess so long as it is improving....

Edited by PrairieProf

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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Guest OPointyDog

Glad to hear that things are improving - here's hoping for a smooth recovery for Beth! I know it must be nerve-wracking but here's hoping it goes away and doesn't come back.

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Well, it's hard to tell from the photo, but I don't see anything I'd be very worried about. Coursing dogs get lumps and bumps, fat toes and twitchy muscles all the time. We've always been VERY conservative about meds and treatments, especially when the dog exhibits no pain response at all. Basically just rest and wait and as long as the dog is sound, don't worry about it.

Pam

GPA-Tallahassee/Southeastern Greyhound Adoption

"Fate is unalterable only in the sense that given a cause, a certain result must follow, but no cause is inevitable in itself, and man can shape his world if he does not resign himself to ignorance." Pearl S. Buck

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Hope that Miss Beth is back to good very quickly!

Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose
Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13.

A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.--

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She isn't bothered by it at all that I can see, but unfortunately Shelley Lake and some others think the bumps will probably never go away. I'm pretty bummed. It will be hard to know when it's safe to let her off leash. And she probably puts more stress on that hind leg because of the toe amputation on the opposite foot, sigh. Second laser appointment tomorrow, meanwhile.

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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I'd give her another week or two and then if there's been no swelling, no limping, no tenderness, let her do what she wants to do.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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A couple of my dogs have had pea-sized lumps in the tendons of a foot, and the consensus was that they were old injuries. What sometimes happens is that part of the tendon sheath gets torn and kind of shrinks back, and in the healing process, the body 'wraps' it in fresh healing tissue so that it heals that way. None of the ones I've seen on my dogs bothered them. However yours looks very fresh, so I think I'd restrict her free running for a while till it goes down a bit.

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The plural of anecdote is not data

Brambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop

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