Hygroma

ZaneTheBrain · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject: Hygroma

Zane has a hygroma on his left elbow. It is swollen and is about the size of a golf ball. Apparently it's from him flopping onto the tile floors to lay down and the repeated trauma of that elbow hitting the tile with all of his weight caused inflamation and fluid built up. He lays on his left side most of the time. She said they're common in very large, heavy dogs, especially when it's hot and they flop onto tile floors to cool off.

The vet gave me information about dogleggs.com and I ordered one today. I'm not sure how to describe it-it covers both elbows, is secured across their shoulders, and provides protection and cushion until it heals. It's $100 and I'm going to try to get his new pet insurance to cover it.

The vet said that if it doesn't heal it just gets bigger and bigger. He needs to wear it until it gets better (a few weeks and up to 1-2 months), and I can save it and use it again if it looks like it's coming back. I also told her that since he keeps eating his beds I got him a cooleroo cot bed about a month ago since he can't chew on it. He lays on it with his 'mama blankie' (dark gray fleece blanket that is almost the same color as him-he has had it since he was a puppy and he nurses on it-it's the only blanket/bed that he hasn't destroyed). It doesn't provide much cushioning so she suggested putting a cushiony bed on the cot and see how long that lasts, at least until the swelling goes down. I got him two GIANT cushioned beds at Petsmart, and so far so good. When I've let him check out toys in the store before I buy them they seem to last longer, so I let him lay on them in the store before I bought them....it's worth a shot.

Has anyone else had experience with a hygroma? How long did it last until it went away? Can it lead to other problems? It seems to me that it could cause joint problems or arthritis. The vet said that she has never known of these problems to be a direct cause of one, but that it could be a possibility.

NenaGunther · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:50 pm Post subject:

I hope Zane feels better soon...

We go to a holistic/medicinal vet and I think Apis Mellifica (Honeybee venom) can also be used to treat conditions that involve inflammation and fluid retention, such as a hygroma on the joint. Just an alternative...

Also, have you seen these? Kuranda beds
Something to get him up off the floor. These aren't my Weims...from Kuranda's website

ZaneTheBrain · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:14 pm Post subject:

Thank you NenaGunther.

There is tile downstairs and carpet upstairs. Downstairs he has one of those beds, but with an aluminum frame made by Cooleroo. Upstairs he has his crate with a cushy liner in it and he drags his blanket upstairs and downstairs. He prefers the tile now that it's hotter. Of course it's cool inside the house but throughout the day or when he comes in from going to the bathroom he just flops onto the tile and that elbow takes all of his weight. The vet said that younger dogs are less gentle on their bodies and haven't developed a callous on their elbows yet, and when they're as big as him (86 lbs today at vet) they are the most prone to this.

She said that any extra cushioning until it is better will help it heal faster. I put a plump bed on the cot, another one upstairs, and a second cushion in his crate. I do plan on getting something that will help the inflamation tomorrow, too. I've also been leading him to his bed whenever he lays on the tile and he is laying on the tile less today, so hopefully that will help too.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow after work of his elbow and bed and post them. Thanks again.