Swelling....

[Bush Rummager 4,765]

Got a bit of a problem here with swelling on my lurchers foot/leg, it started two days ago, started her on Metacam straight away, no obvious sign of an injury.

Took her through to the vets yesterday just to get it checked over, said only ligament/ tissue damage, wich i was pleased to hear, although they didnt x-ray, they were going to perscribe

Metacam, but i told i'd already started it, wich was fine, so just came away with the obligatory inti-biotics, and told to rest her up for seven days.

 

Not got a clue how shes done it, she had a few runs on some heavy plough about a week ago, nothing seemed amiss after this, this is where im scratching my head..... we've just had a new arrival in the family ( baby girl ) and i've just been turning the dogs out a playing field a few times a day until we get straight at home.... so shes done no running what so ever whilst this problem's come about..

 

Appreciate any advice folke... not great, but heres a few shots.....

Tis is what it should look like... other side,

Just to add, the swelling has increased a bit since the vet looked at it.... thanks...

[skycat 6,174]

If the swelling is soft and dimples when you press it I'd say at a guess, though impossible to be sure without going over the dog myself, that this is blood that has run down under the skin from a very badly torn muscle. I could well be wrong though.

 

OR, if the dog has a puncture wound in its foot, it could also be air that has been forced up under the skin each time the dog puts pressure on its foot and opens the wound up a bit. Does the skin feel as though it has bubble wrap just under the surface?

 

Either way I'd get an opinion from a good Greyhound vet. Normal vets are pretty hopeless when it comes to 'soft tissue' damage. If it is a badly torn muscle which has bled under the skin all down the leg, then that is obviously a very bad tear, and needs a damn sight more than seven days rest. Torn muscles need 6 weeks to heal, with appropriate massage as well.

 

I repeat: the only way to get an accurate diagnosis is from a good Greyhound vet.

 

If there is a puncture wound in the foot (look carefully between every toe), then as long as there is no heat in the foot and leg, time will sort it out as the air will be absorbed slowly. I've had several dogs whose entire backs have felt like bubble wrap after a bad barbed wire tear in the groin. It always disappears with no problem.

[Bush Rummager 4,765]

Skycat, cant thank you enough for that reply, you've just told me loads more there than the vet who even saw the dog in the flesh and got hands on with her... talk about straight out of uni and wet behind the ears.. How can they recomend treatment and drugs when they cant even diagnose the problem????? Talk about winging it.. waste of time and money, like you say, need to get sorted with a greyhound vet,....... or come to straight to you Skycat

 

Anyway, had another look at her, deffo no cuts there or the bubble wrap thingy, but the skin is dimpling under my fingers so i'm going with your first suggestion about the torn muscle.... makes sence , some heat there aswell .

 

Thanks for taking the time to send the reply Skycat...... really appreaicate that , cant beat experience eh...

[skycat 6,174]

In that case I would make absolutely sure the dog does no jumping at all: not even into the back of the motor or into its bed if it is more than 6 inches off the ground. On lead at all times, and you really do need to learn how to massage the leg. It has been proven that the right sort of massage can go a long way to restoring the muscle to how it should be. Probably too late for really good healing by now, but do contact a Greyhound man.

 

PM me and tell me what area you are in and I'll look up someone for you: there's loads up and down the country.

 

Oh, and by the way: all this experience has been very hard won over more years than I care to remember: there's no such thing as instant knowledge! That's why ordinary vets aren't much cop on running dog injuries as they just don't get to see enough: that's why we need the specialists who see nowt but running dogs day in day out.

[sandymere 8,263]

As above and ice if you can. If there is muscle dammage above then check for sore area above the swelling.

The hock is made up of a multitude of little bones that even with an xray are difficult to diagnos if fractured ie all the bones in a human foot from toes to ankle. Again as above needs specialist advice as swelling over a joint can cause pain as well as damage to the joint itself + what is minor residual damage and scar tissue on a lab or pet type dog is a very different story when subjected to the stresses put on it by a sight hound at speed but against this fit lurcher type dogs have excellent recuperative properties.

good luck s.

[undisputed 1,664]

My dog had a similar injury torn muscle and ligaments further complicated by rusty wire which pierced her leg. Took a awhile to heal properly and she was laid up for a number of weeks....cold compress couple of times a day until swelling goes down...good luck

[skycat 6,174]

As above and ice if you can. If there is muscle dammage above then check for sore area above the swelling.

The hock is made up of a multitude of little bones that even with an xray are difficult to diagnos if fractured ie all the bones in a human foot from toes to ankle. Again as above needs specialist advice as swelling over a joint can cause pain as well as damage to the joint itself + what is minor residual damage and scar tissue on a lab or pet type dog is a very different story when subjected to the stresses put on it by a sight hound at speed but against this fit lurcher type dogs have excellent recuperative properties.

good luck s.

 

Ys, that is a really good point: I once had a dog x rayed 5 times from different angles before the fracture showed up! By the way: you don't want to be massaging without a correct dignosis! Just in case it is a fracture!

[Bush Rummager 4,765]

Thats a great help folks...... cheers