My dog's arm is swollen around the IV. What should I do right now?

When an IV catheter is placed in a blood vessel for several days, it can eventually pull out of the blood vessel so that the fluids are going under the skin rather than in the blood vessel, or it could mean that the tape holding the catheter in place is a bit too tight. Both of these events occur very commonly in animals that are hospitalized on IV fluids. While a swollen paw is a bit uncomfortable temporarily, the vet and vet tech will be able to either remove or replace the catheter, or simply adjust the tape holding it in place. I've seen several of your posts about Hunter and I'm thrilled to hear that he's doing much better! :-)

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I suspect the leg may be infected or one of the veins where iv catheter was placed is inflamed. Your Hoot will likely need a course of antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory agent to get better. Please, keep her rested overnight and apply a cold compress on the leg (ice cubes wrapped up in a towel) for 10-15 minutes every 2-3hrs to help with the swelling.

Hello, so sorry that Fifa is having this issue. It is very difficult to comment without seeing her leg. I suspect she has cellulitis. Probably some of the IV fluids and/or medications went around the catheter and into the surrounding tissues causing inflammation. It is not typically an emergency but I suggest you call the hospital she was at, or your regular vet, to get her seen for treatment of this problem as soon as you can. Typically oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are needed to help correct this. In the meantime you can do some cold water therapy on the leg for 10 minutes 2-3 times per day. This entails using a hose with a firm spray (and cold water) on the leg - move the water up/down the leg for the entire 10 minutes. Use as hard of a spray as she will allow. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I am sorry to hear about Koda. It sounds like there may be some bruising from the blood draw, which can occasionally happen, especially in little dogs with tiny blood bessels. If he isn't bothered by it, you can just leave the area alone and monitor it for increased swelling or pain. If he has some discomfort you can apply a cold compress/ice pack to the area for 10-15 minutes every few hours. If the area becomes more swollen or increasingly painful then notify your vet, but this would be rare.

The leash must be removed immediately to relieve the obstruction of the blood flow. If the leg is evidently distorted or broken or her foot is cold to touch she needs urgent vet care otherwise monitor for a reduction in swelling and discomfort over 12 hours or so

That is excessive. I see there is a bandage--I do not know what is under that but it needs to be removed to relieve the swelling of the toes. Just make sure he does not lick the incision after that gets removed and if it is open then you may need to take him to a ER tonight to have a new wrap applied

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.