Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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My Henry has recently developed a liquid filled mass at the amputation site. His front left limb was amputated 5 months ago on September 15 2016 due to injury. The mass is about the size of a silver dollar, maybe a little bit smaller. He is 38 lbs, approx 3 years old. We have a bit of acreage so he likes to run around and wrestle and play with his fur sister. It's hard to slow him down, and as a result he often tumbles and lands on the stump. I have attached some photos. The mass is on the outside of the amputated limb. Just wondering if this is normal/if it will go away on its own or if it needs to be checked out? Thanks!
The fluid accumulation is called a seroma and it is a common side effect after such a major surgery. Some vets insert drains, allowing the serum to escape. The fluid will usually get reabsorbed by the body, but if the seroma continues to grow it can be easily drained by your vet. Click any highlighted seroma link for more information, pictures, helpful treatment tips, and what to look for in seromas gone bad. Find much more helpful related information in the Tripawds e-books , or bookmark Jerry's Required Reading List for more answers to common questions.
NOTE: We are not vets. We do have veterinarian and technician members with a "vet expert" badge beneath their names. They do frequent this forum to answer questions periodically, but you may not receive an immediate response. Dr Pam is always very helpful. Don't miss this video interview with her discussing seromas and other common post amputation side effects.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
After re-reading your post, it is uncommon to develop a seroma 5 months after surgery. We suggest you have your vet look into tat. It is very hard to determine anything from your photos.
Best wishes, please keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
PS: Wyatt is also missing a rear leg. He developed a lipoma on the end of his stump, similar to what you describe but it does not feel squishy. A vet informed is it is from impacting the stump over time, and nothing to be concerned about.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you! I had previously read about seromas but didn't think it would apply since it's been 5 months since amputation. I'm wondering now if it could be a hematoma? He did a bit of stumbling and fell on the stump in the woods the day before it appeared, and the part of the remaining bone that is under the mass is rather sharp. Unfortunately I won't be able to take him to the vet until sometime this week, so until then just keeping a close eye on it.
I was going to ask if he had any of the leg bone left- sounds like he does.
On front amps leaving a bit of the bone tends to be problematic because there is not much to cover or protect it. On rear amps when a small piece of the bone is left it is covered with a lot of muscle and in my experience wasn't a problem. My Tripug Maggie had this type of rear amp and lived almost 4 years with no issues.
Has the liquid mass dissipated at all?
We have had other members with this problem and some have tried to find, modify or make some type of protection device to cover the front amputation area and cushion the bone. I don't remember is any of them have found something that works.
You can look at Dog Leggs and the Handicap Pets sites and see if anything inspires you. This may be an ongoing problem for Henry until he gets older and settles done some (if he does!).
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
If it is fluid and your dog did not have cancer it is most likely a seroma . I would have your vet check it out just to be safe.
Pam
Thanks all! It got a little bit bigger yesterday, and then today it seems to be the same size, but now a little bit firmer. Definitely still squishy though. Trying to figure out when I can get him into the vet. My father in law had a rather severe stroke last week so we have been spending most of our days and nights at the hospital while the pups are happily being spoiled at my parents' house in the meantime.
We actually do have the materials to build some kind of protective cushion, which we have been meaning to make for a while now, but still need to figure out the logistics of it. Hopefully things will settle down and we will be able to work on it soon. If not, I'm afraid it may be a recurring issue like you said, Karen.
Pam, do you think it could still be a seroma so long after the amputation (5 months)?
Thanks!
It could be. If the bone chronically irritates the surrounding tissues and there is minimal muscle to pad it then you can get a seroma anytime.
Pam
There's not much muscle there for sure. I always worry he's gonna pop that sharp bone through the skin sometime. I have no idea why they didn't take more of the leg, and unfortunately the surgery was done shortly before I adopted him. We've got an appt. with the vet in a few hours, so I'll let you know what the outcome is!
Henry is a mighty lucky boy to have you as his furever home!
Hopefully you'll get some good solutions now. Update when you can.
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS...Best wishes to your father in law.
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Thank you!
The vet believes it's just a hematoma, so he probably landed on that sharp bone just right to get some blood build up. He didn't want to aspirate it at this point since Henry is acting like normal, it's not hot, we know it showed up after some tumbles on the nub and he shows no sign of pain with it. He said aspiration opens it up to infection, so we will just be keeping an eye on it for the next few days to make sure it goes down.
The vet did say he's surprised at how the amputation was done as they normally take the whole shoulder with the front leggers. Makes sense seeing as how much he lands on the nub and how little muscle is there to protect it, not to mention he is always wiggling the nub like he is trying to use that leg even though there's nothing there anymore. He did suggest using an elbow pad to form a makeshift protective cover for it, so I think we will try that.
Thanks again for your help and support everyone! 🙂
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