Re: Hygroma
Hi Mary- Unfortunately hygromas are a real pain to deal with. Veterinarians do not have a 'cure-all' that will prevent it from reappearing, and owners do not have any way of preventing it in the first place. Some tricks that you can attempt to try with Bear are: Encourage him to sleep on a padded bedding Encourage him to not 'slam' down hard on his elbows when he goes to lie down The elbow is a very difficult area on a dog to keep padded with bandage material. It annoys the dog, and it slips easily. Wrapping it too tightly can cause circulatory problems to the leg, and wrapping it too loosely is useless. The important thing to remember about hygromas is that they are benign, and just unattractive to look at. They typically do not cause the dog any pain or discomfort. The are certainly unpleasant to look at...but in general, they are harmless to the dog's well-being. If you leave the hygroma alone, and Bear still slams hard on that elbow, the area will build up scar tissue on it's own. If you can put up with a bulging, sagging, 'rough' looking elbow, then I would suggest just leaving it alone. Encourage him the best you can to lie down gently on soft/padded surfaces...avoiding wood, tile, linoleum floors, etc, etc. Soft rugs and a plush doggie bed should help keep the fluid from building up too much. If the time comes when the hygroma interferes with his ability to walk, then you could discuss further treatment options...but keep in mind that most are not successful, and only temporary fixes. Another option for you to check into is consult with the English Mastiff internet list, or the Bull Mastiff list...those particular breeds are rarely seen WITHOUT hygromas and maybe someone out there in Mastiff-land has had success preventing/treating them. If you find someone...please let me know what they do! Take Care, Jennie Hoffnagle Glenmoore, PA
Re: Hygroma
In a message dated 1/3/2003 8:30:10 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > the Vet said that when Bear goes in for neutering on > Jan. 16th that they will lance and drain the hygroma and inject some > cortisone in hopes that the area will scar and the hygroma not come back. > Has anybody else had an experience like this? Any suggestions on helping my > baby would be very much appreciated. Hi Mary, Welcome to the Berner-L, sounds like you're enjoying you puppy...except of course for worrying about the apple on his elbow ;-} I haven't dealt with a hygroma personally, but from the freququency questions show up on the list, I'd say they're pretty common. Not only in Berner either, all large breeds are prone to them...especially youngsters. The most common advice I see is to leave them alone and let them re-absorb on their own. It does take time, several months, but doesn't hurt the dog any. You might want to discuss this option with your vet...ask he's ever left them alone and what how they did? Sometimes vets feel that they *have to do something* in order for their clients to think they're addressing the problem. Build a relationship with your vet that goes beyond that...so he understands your priorities, doing what's best for the dog even if that means living with a 'blemish' for a while. If you do decide to leave the hygroma alone, do watch for signs of infection since it's already been punctured once. If the area gets warm to the touch, the skin gets red or red streaked, or Bear runs a temp I'd be concerned about infection and bring him to the vet. Also, Bear's breeder might be a good person to discuss the options with. Many WANT to help their buyers along when they come to a bump in the road...or the elbow . Enjoy your pup! -Sherri Venditti
RE: Hygroma
Mary, You posted just perfectly, welcome to the List! Congratulations on the puppy, I hope you enjoy years with Bear! As for the hygroma, draining it can add the possibility of infection. The best thing to try at this point is to pad it, just as you did. See http://www.dogleggs.com/ for some pads that might work better, perhaps you can avoid the need for draining it. Best of luck, and let us know how Bear's elbow does! Pat Long (& Luther) Berwyn PA
Hygroma
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Hygroma -- elbow cyst
Hygromas almost always will go away on their own. They are benign and rarely
bother the dog. You do NOT do surgery to place a drain or remove the cyst --
these have a high complication rate, risk of infection, etc.
My Bean had a hygroma ("cystic hygroma") at about 9 mos, it resolved on its
own in about 2-3 mos. Several friends w/ Bullmastiffs have had them at about
the same age. Try to keep your dog from lying on hard floors.. either pad
the elbow or keep her on carpeting (or your couches!) They usually like this
option just fine except in the summer when they want to be on the cool tile
floors.
Vilma Briggs, MD
Mt. Gilead, OH
U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT
Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT
U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT
Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC
and Ted
