Soft Swellings on a Young Dog's Front Legs
by A reader
Soft, painless swellings over the bony points of the front legs in a young, large dog are very often hygromas. A hygroma is a fluid-filled pocket that forms where the skin is pressed against a bony point again and again, usually from lying down on hard floors. Large and giant breeds are most often affected.
The main treatment is padding. Give him thick, soft bedding everywhere he likes to lie, and padded elbow sleeves can help. Many small hygromas shrink once the pressure stops. Please don't drain it yourself: that can let bacteria in and turn a harmless swelling into an infected one.
Have your vet take a look to confirm what it is. Go sooner if a swelling becomes hot, red or painful, grows quickly, starts to leak, or he begins to limp. Large or infected hygromas sometimes need treatment, but surgery is usually a last resort.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
