What causes a dog's swollen shoulder and limping with no injury?

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Since Hazel's shooting accident was so long ago, I wouldn't expect her current limp to be directly related to that injury. I suspect this is something new. It's difficult to say if the lump is the cause of her limping, but it's certainly possible. The lump could be related to an abscess (infection) secondary to a wound, or could be either a benign or malignant growth. It would be best to have Hazel seen by a veterinarian to determine the cause of her limp and the source of that lump on her shoulder. If it's an infection, she will need to go on antibiotics and the lump may need to be drained. If it's a cancerous growth, your vet can discuss the procedure and cost associated with having it removed. Regardless, this is not likely to be a problem that will resolve on its own so it's best to have Hazel seen by a vet. Hope this helps.

It really depends on the cause of the swelling, but usually pain medication the route you would have to go. Generally for issues like this that are not treated surgically, we manage the pain and inflammation with long-term medication at the lowest effective dose. While there are some potential side effects, most dogs can be treated rather effectively this way. It will be worthwhile to have a blood screen done to make sure the liver and kidneys are functioning well prior to starting the medication and it may be necessary to take blood periodically to ensure they are not causing any damage. Your veterinarian should be able to help you out with all of this. I hope that helps and Oscar feels better soon.

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.

Hello. I am sorry about your concerns about Chewy. It is possible that this is just a significant bruise & possible hematoma under the skin ( & probably in the muscle ) that is just taking a long time to resolve. A simple seroma should have resolved by now, but if there was a large blood clot that formed from the trauma, that may take a bit longer to resolve. The other, but less likely possibility is that the joint capsule at the scapulohumeral junction ( where the upper leg bone connects to the shoulder ) has torn. This can result in the leakage of joint fluid into the surrounding tissues. This can be repaired surgically if necessary. Your veterinarian will probably recommend an x-ray & try to sample the fluid to see if it is blood tinged ( a seroma ), bloody ( a hematoma ), or clear & stringy ( joint fluid ). None of these is life-threatening, but if this is joint fluid, Chewy could wind up with some arthritis in the shoulder. So do not worry too much until you have a chance to have things looked at. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

No, if she is not lame or painful, the shoulder is not likely to be dislocated. There are many possible casues for swellings including soft tissue trauma and bruises but if it is persisting longer than 3-5days or becomes uncomfortable I would recommend a full physical exam by your vet

I cannot give you a definitive answer to your question just by looking at the is one x-ray. I can't get a good look at the x-ray as it won't enlarge enough for me to see what I need to see. Regardless, I think I see a lucent area on the calcaneous. That could be cancer but it could be osteomyelitis (bone infection) or even a fungal infection. It does not appear to involve the joint. The calcaneous is not at typical area to get bone cancer if that is any consolation. It is not impossible, just not common. This could be a hygroma (inflammation of the bursa) but without examining her myself it is too hard to say. I think your vet needs to aspirate the mass and look at the fluid under the microscope - usually you can see if there is bacteria in there (I would be worried about this so she really should be on some antibiotics) or cancer cells or just inflammation, etc. ( https://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=2847 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.