Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello,
My 11 month old chocolate lab lost his leg about nine months ago after an accident at 8 months old. His amputation healed fairly quickly and without complication. It is now a beautiful scar and all seemed to be going well. Now two months later there is fluid build up. The area is not red, hot, or sore. So there is no sign of infection. It is strange though that fluid would build up now. His bone is short and fairly tucked up to his body, but this pocket of fluid is a big ball hanging down like he is growing a new leg lol. I am a university student and having this all been recent I am trying not to rush to the vet, especially with no sign of infection. I am wondering if anyone has experienced this before. I'm wondering if it is simply gravity which is causing the build-up.
Any advice or insight is so very appreciated!
Thanks, Emily Murray
(I tried to add pictures but for some reason they will not show up)
Hi Emily, I'm so glad you hopped over here to post! Before you left the chat I was going to tell you how to add images to your post (click on the link for instructions, let me know if you still need help).
Stay tuned, you'll get some great feedback from members. As I mentioned, I think that it's something to keep an eye on and if there's no discharge or inflammation it's probably not serious but definitely worth mentioning to your vet. I remembered after you left the chat...Our own Wyatt Ray had something similar happen to his amputation site; swelling happened from out of nowhere, two years after his amputation! Turned out that it was a piece of bone wax; some surgeons use it to seal up blood vessels during amputation, which they did on him, and some of it had worked its way loose at Wyatt's stump. He had to have a surgery for it, unfortunately, but it hasn't happened yet.
Maybe you can call and ask if they'll count it as a post-op follow up and hopefully not charge you for the exam? It can't hurt to ask. Don' feel badly about the money situation, all of us here get it.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sounds like a seroma , but not sure why it would show up after 9 months.maybe he bumped it? Maybe a lymph node not draining properly? I suppose a vet could drain it if it gets larger or does not go down. I am not a vet, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt and maybe someone with more expertise will chime in soon. How long has fluid been there? Also check his temp. Make sure he isn't running a fever. Is he eating, drinking, playing normally? Keep us posted. Lori, Ty & the canine trio
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
I don't think it seroma because it isn't red or warm or sore. Still can't post pictures for some reason.
Here is how you Add Images to your Forum Posts.
If you still can't make it work you can email the pictures to Jerry or me and we can post them for you.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Okay, I think I have figured this out. Also an update. I called my vet, he told me to come in but I declined do to the fact that they always say come in. My regular vet is an amazing vet, but he does not have a lot of experience with amputations as he does not perform them. So I called the surgeon who did wiser's surgery and he said that he could just be a bruise because of the lack of signs of infection and I should wait around 10 days. So now I am waiting.
Oh yay so glad you figured out photos. Well he sure is handsome!!
So did the surgeon do a partial amputation? Is that bone and then a squishy fluid build up at the tip?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes, after the accident he had feeling to his first joint but nothing after that. So the vet didn't bother to take his shoulder off. But an update! his pocket seems to be going down which is a good thing!
Ohhh OK, well now we know what we're looking at. I'm glad to hear the fluid is dissipating! Do post a pic so we can see when its' gone, I'd be curious to see a before and after.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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