Dog's leg swollen like a balloon, but not limping. What should I do?

Do not give any medications to your dog without the advice of your veterinarian. Many OTC medications can be toxic to pets. Ideally, Ziggy should be examined by your veterinarian or a veterinary orthopedic specialist to diagnose ligament damage, arthritic conditions, fractures or tumors. X-rays of the knees and hips will likely be recommended. These can be done under anesthesia or sedation. A veterinary house all service may be an option for an exam. Afterwards, a sedative and/or pain management can be dispensed to make the trip to the clinic easier and less stressful for all parties.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you can see an an obvious swelling, I recommend taking Trigger to the vet. Many times with mild limping we don't see any swelling at all. So I worry that Trigger may have torn a muscle or have an abscess or other injury that may cause worse problems if left alone. Until he is seen, I recommend keeping him confined (as possible with a pup). If he is crate trained, then keep him crated and leash walks only until he is evaluated to prevent furhter injury. I hope he's back to normal quickly!

This large lump looks very infected, you need to take him to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked and treated, if this is just an infection a course of antibiotics will be needed but it could be something worse than that.

You need to take Fred into a vet now, this cannot be treated at home. I suspect the wounds are infected causing the swelling, and he's limping because he's in pain. Please take him into a vet right away, leaving him in this condition is cruel to him.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Henry is weight-bearing on that leg, his energy level is high and he has good appetite you can try and rest him for a few days. Walk him on leash only and do not let him jump or run the stairs. If the swelling and pain is only due to muscle inflammation or mild sprain, everything should be back to normal in a few days time. However, if Henry looks in pain, doesn't want to eat or play, you should get him checked by your local vets sooner.

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.

Shadow must see a vet for this issue. The swelling could mean a fracture or dislocation in the elbow. You cannot tell if something is fracture or not many times just be looking at the leg or feeling it. An x-ray needs to be done. A bite would not cause that much pain and swelling. There are also congenital abnormalities (like ununited aconeal process) that could be going on in that elbow. Please take Shadow to the vet. This cannot be treated at home. There is no over the counter medications you can give to a 2 month old puppy. Hope this helps. Best wishes.