Our dog has lumps on her hind leg. What do we do?

[Kolesar]

Our 12 year old golden retriever has been aching a bit and not wanting to go on long walks for a few weeks (long is 1 mile). She has a lump on her hind leg at what I believe is her "knee joint". It was hard a few weeks ago, and she snapped at me when I would touch it (it hurt). Now it is softer (as far as I can tell), and it actually looks like two lumps, one forward of the joint and one a bit behind. The large lump is as big as a quarter. The lumps move around with the skin when you handle them.

At first I thought she had an inflammed sprain, but now I don't know. I am suspecting water on the knee, or maybe some sort of tumor, as pure bred dogs get. She certainly does favor it, even when she is standing.

We are taking her to the vet in a few days. I would like to read up on it, but I just don't know what terminology to search under. Does anybody have any idea what these lumps may be?

[henslee]

1. Been there......

First, your vet will take a biopsy and probably a blood test. There is a good chance that they are benign tumors and can be either lanced or drained or surgically removed (depending on the size) but if your dog is kind of old, vets are not too keen on anesthesizing them. If the lumps are not imparing your dog (it sounds like they are but they might not be... it might be something else) the vet may leave them. One final thing to say about "quality of life" issues for an older dog. Ask your vet about giving your dog "ascriptin" (aspirin in maalox). Never give dog tylenol or excedrin! My vet told me I could give my old guy up to five a day of ascripton and I gotta tell you....it gave him a lot more good days than bad ones. It put a little bounce in his step. Unlike those horrible NAID's.

[Kolesar]

3. She's 12 and has develop kidney disease

Her kidney numbers are stable. She has been doing quite well, depite that. She has been lacking in stamina.

The vet advised against general anesthesia to clean her teeth since she had developed kidney disease.

You may have picked up on something that the rear leg lumps and favoring it may have two different origins. Thanks for the advice.

[SaveElmer]

2. I'm not an expert but...

If the lumps are moving around with the skin...the lumps are probably within the skin itself...could be an infection in a hair follicle.

[abrupt]

4. sounds like arthritis

I worked for a vet,and I had a golden who passed at the age of 17. I totally agree with henslee