My dog's back leg is swollen. Vet gave meds, what else could it be?

Question

3 days ago I noticed my dog had a swollen back foot/leg. I took her to the vet yesterday and we were given antibiotics and pain meds. I just wanted to know if any doctors have seen anything like this and what you think it could be my vet said to finish the meds to see if it goes down and if not go back to do blood work. She walks normally and eats, drinks normal so we don't think it's broken. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 7 years and 9 months old | 61 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

I can see the swelling from the pictures you posted. It appears the swelling goes form the foot all the way to the knee. I see that you live in an area where snake bite is possible. I would check thoroughly for any punctures along the entire leg and see if Diamond is painful in any particular area. If not, other causes of swelling like this could include infection, allergic reaction, trauma, cancer, among others. Sometimes swelling in an entire limb can be caused by decreased lymphatic flow - this can be caused by damage to lymph nodes or a structure under the skin or inside the body that is impinging on the lymph flow. I have also seen swelling like this with a flare-up of a mast cell tumor elsewhere on the body. I agree with your vet; if the medications prescribed to not make a difference, additional diagnostics are warranted. They may include bloodwork, abdominal x-rays, tick testing, or sampling of any small masses found.

My dog's back leg is swollen. Vet gave meds, what else could it be?

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