My old dog is limping with a lump. How to ease pain without surgery?

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.

If he has swollen lymph nodes then he could have an infection or possibly lymphoma. Your vet can run blood-work and aspirate the lymph node to determine why it is enlarged. If he has an infection than he would need an antibiotic to treat. If he has a problem with a disc in his back then he would also need an anti-inflammatory and pain medications.

Poor Lily! These lumps look quite irritated and ulcerated. She may already be experiencing some degree of pain and discomfort from these lumps, as indicated by her chewing on them. Other signs of pain in dogs include a decreased appetite, lethargy, and abnormal vocalization. When it comes to surgery, age is not a disease, so if Lily's physical exam and pre-operative blood testing is normal, she is likely to do well with surgical removal of these lumps. It may be worth discussing surgical options, as well as pain medication options, with Lily's vet. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Toby may need x-rays to diagnose what is going on with his foot. That is a very odd lump. If he had fractures to the small bones in this region, then they may have healed improperly and caused the lump you see. It is also possible that there is on-going inflammation in that area that could benefit from medications. There is also a small possibility of a tumor in that area. Your vet should be able to figure out what is going on. If it is not cancerous, there are several treatments you could try before going to surgery, including anti-inflammatory medications, glucosamine supplements, Adequan injections, acupuncture, or physical therapy. But first, we need to figure out what is the exact process of the injury so that the appropriate treatment can be started.

Diamond needs to be examined by the veterinarian today. This could be a cyst, an abscess or a necrotic tumor. It looks like it could be infected whatever the cause. If it is a cyst or tumor, it will need to be removed. If it is an abscess, it will need a drain. It probably does hurt. She needs an exam, possible diagnostics, medications to address and infection (if present) and pain. She also needs an elizabethan collar so she cannot lick the area. I hope they figure out the cause quickly.

The growths you are seeing on Pico can be unrelated to the lameness. It is not uncommon for older dogs to get arthritis similar to humans. They make several classes of medication to help with pain in older animals. It is worth consulting your vet to see which Pico is a candidate for to extend his quality of life.

Please make an appointment to have Tammh seen by a vet as soon as possible. She is likely in pain, and may have a muscular or nerve injury, a fractured bone, a mass, or a foreign body in the leg. Your vet can assess the leg during the physical exam and may recommend x-rays to help determine the cause of Tammh’s limp. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to Tammh without consulting with your vet.