Enlarged Popliteal Lymph Node

Clodagh said:
Are you sure there isn’t a hard to find crack in her paw?
If she is spreading her legs out I hope it would be be a hip issue, surely she couldn’t do that if it hurt.
I do hope the vet finds the issue soon so you can stop worrying. Poor Peril x

ETA I am absolutely not doubting that you have checked her over properly but whenever T has a problem it is caused by her feet so I am projecting. Also remembering the time I worried myself sick that her hip was going and it was a cracked paw.
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I just can't find anything at all pad related ?. That was my first thought, this time and last time, but there's no sign of injury at all. We are still bathing her feet every time she leaves the house because there's grit and salt on the pavements now. When she presented my socks to me this morning with a neatly executed sit ?, she didn't bend easily at her stifle, she threw her leg forward from her hip, that's now making me think this could be stifle related, rather than hip. She is a little harefooted on her back feet, which Vet noticed when she was in recently, but that is normal for her, iyswim. She is still keen to exercise, but we're curbing that until we know what is going on. I suppose it is also possible that she's bruised a toe...I'm looking at every movement so critically now that nothing she does looks normal ?
 
Stiff Knees said:
I just can't find anything at all pad related ?. That was my first thought, this time and last time, but there's no sign of injury at all. We are still bathing her feet every time she leaves the house because there's grit and salt on the pavements now. When she presented my socks to me this morning with a neatly executed sit ?, she didn't bend easily at her stifle, she threw her leg forward from her hip, that's now making me think this could be stifle related, rather than hip. She is a little harefooted on her back feet, which Vet noticed when she was in recently, but that is normal for her, iyswim. She is still keen to exercise, but we're curbing that until we know what is going on. I suppose it is also possible that she's bruised a toe...I'm looking at every movement so critically now that nothing she does looks normal ?
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With horses they say top pain is hard to differentiate from bottom pain, so hip or hoof, so I expect it is the same with dogs. Well I hope you soon find out and good luck with the limited exercise!
 
She's booked in at 9am on Tuesday. She's not too uncomfortable to rush her in any sooner and another couple of quiet days may just help settle the issue. She will be fine with limited exercise, it is missing breakfast on Tuesday that she'll struggle with!!
 
I would suggest to ask the vet if it’s an option to take out the node and biopsy that.
You could waste a lot of time x raying this and that..it would rule out the worst scenario.
 
Stiff Knees said:
She's booked in at 9am on Tuesday. She's not too uncomfortable to rush her in any sooner and another couple of quiet days may just help settle the issue. She will be fine with limited exercise, it is missing breakfast on Tuesday that she'll struggle with!!
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LOL! I have to book Ffee in to be spayed and the thought of no brekkie is putting me off!:D
 
Bellasophia said:
I would suggest to ask the vet if it’s an option to take out the node and biopsy that.
You could waste a lot of time x raying this and that..it would rule out the worst scenario.
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She's had a needle aspiration of the lymph node which showed there was no lymphoma, we got the results back on 30th December. Since then the lymph node has decreased in size and we thought all was well again. Then a few days ago she began the restless leg thing again and the occasional hop. The Lymph Node has increased again in size, but not to the same extent as before. Would a biopsy show anything that the needle aspiration hasnt? Asking because I'm genuinely not sure...
 
Stiff Knees said:
She's had a needle aspiration of the lymph node which showed there was no lymphoma, we got the results back on 30th December. Since then the lymph node has decreased in size and we thought all was well again. Then a few days ago she began the restless leg thing again and the occasional hop. The Lymph Node has increased again in size, but not to the same extent as before. Would a biopsy show anything that the needle aspiration hasnt? Asking because I'm genuinely not sure...
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Sometimes, unfortunately (in people so sort of extrapolating it to animals) I have known cases of an ok needle biopsy or aspiration that turned out to be something a bit unpleasant but I think it is unusual. If it keeps causing problems and could be removed then it might be good to do it I guess but on the whole they can be an early warning of infection/inflamation/disease somewhere nearby.
Fingers firmly crossed for Tuesday.
 
Hi stiff knees..I’m not a vet ,so definitely ask your vet...the needle biopsy can only draw out a small sample ..a full removal would allow the gland to be sectioned and examined for all possible options..it would show bacterial presence,altered cells( tumor etc) and maybe give you answers.
The change of size should be mentioned as this will help him in his diagnosis..to me this sounds more like inflammation/ infection response.
Did he do a culture the needle sample he took?

Years ago my second st poodle had repeated swollen glands and skin ulcers that popped up all over her body..first vet prescribed antibacterial shampoos and similar a\b meds..it kept recurring by evading meds (we later found)by going deep into various parts of the body( deep villus crypts) ,also into fluid in the joints..it was a beggar to get on top of(prednisone and grade four antibiotics.)
The skin specilaist I went to ( still my vet to this day)who managed to get a diagnosis, did a punch biopsy of the skin ulcers and sent it to the laboratory to be sectioned and stained..as well as culture the cells...it turned out to be a rare form of proteus bacteria .We managed it,but never really cured it..
Im not suggesting your dog has this,but I’d want to know the cause so treatment can be specific.I would want to see a specialist if the vet doesn’t resolve this on the next visit.
...let us know!
 
Bellasophia said:
Hi stiff knees..I’m not a vet ,so definitely ask your vet...the needle biopsy can only draw out a small sample ..a full removal would allow the gland to be sectioned and examined for all possible options..it would show bacterial presence,altered cells( tumor etc) and maybe give you answers.
The change of size should be mentioned as this will help him in his diagnosis..to me this sounds more like inflammation/ infection response.
Did he do a culture the needle sample he took?

Years ago my second st poodle had repeated swollen glands and skin ulcers that popped up all over her body..first vet prescribed antibacterial shampoos and similar a\b meds..it kept recurring by evading meds (we later found)by going deep into various parts of the body( deep villus crypts) ,also into fluid in the joints..it was a beggar to get on top of(prednisone and grade four antibiotics.)
The skin specilaist I went to ( still my vet to this day)who managed to get a diagnosis, did a punch biopsy of the skin ulcers and sent it to the laboratory to be sectioned and stained..as well as culture the cells...it turned out to be a rare form of proteus bacteria .We managed it,but never really cured it..
Im not suggesting your dog has this,but I’d want to know the cause so treatment can be specific.I would want to see a specialist if the vet doesn’t resolve this on the next visit.
...let us know!
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I'm not sure if a culture was done, there was a bit of a language barrier, which didn't help...?. I'm hoping for more answers on Tuesday. She's well in herself, as she was last time...good appetite, bright as a button, no obvious sign of injury or infection, other than the enlarged lymph node, the occasional hop when weight bearing and occasionally shuffling that leg when not weight bearing. She's not biting at the foot, or licking her leg, she's not restless, listless or agitated at all, in fact if you didn't know her like I know her you'd think that nothing was wrong. She's just a big yellow attention seeker!!
 
Peril's appointment was brought forward because she was hopping lame this morning. @Clodagh, you were right. The Vet found the claw of digit 2 was lifted off the bone. It has been fully trimmed right back, a large amount of pus drained, wound cleaned, sutured and bandaged. There was nothing visible externally, until this morning, only when the Vet grasped the claw and pulled did the claw detach and pus begin oozing out. This morning that claw looked a bit bruised internally, Peril has clear claws, so the Vet started the investigation there. Such a shame that this was missed when she was seen before Christmas, but there was no swelling, heat or other indicator of where the problem was. She's now sleeping off the sedation. ?????
 
Her claws are transparent but very tough. I think if they were not as tough they'd sp!inter rather than break off at the nail bed. Ouch!! This is her fifth claw injury in 2 years. The land where she has been beating is very flinty, not good for claws. Travelling at warp speed won't help either ?
 
Bellasophia said:
Well done vet ( and clodagh):) ...I’m glad its been resolved ..
...An infection diagnosis has a resolveable fix.. here’s to a speedy recovery!
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?All credit to the vet, and to @Clodagh obvs! The Vet was very good, she asked lots of questions to gain as much information as she could, and had obviously read Peril's notes thoroughly. Peril was cared for well and the discharge notes were very comprehensive. She was restless last night, up and hobbling about, the local anaesthetic wore off at about 10pm I think because she was clearly uncomfortable, although the pain relieving properties of a gravy bone or three should never be underestimated!! The metacam kicked in shortly after and once her tummy was full she settled quite well. She had a small feed on her return home at 4.30pm, with another at 8pm and another at 2am, she just can't sleep if she is hungry ?. She was discharged with a 7 day course of antibiotics and has a dressing change booked in for Wednesday evening with a further check on Friday. It'll be a while before she's back to full exercise because the entire claw has been removed so will need to grow back, we are so lucky though, she is so chilled out, and will happily sleep all day. I'm looking forward to seeing the wound once the bandage is off, I've always keep a photo record and never cease to be amazed by the healing abilities of dogs. ??
 
It’s a while since I’ve posted so you may not be interested ?? but…Here we go again!! Yet another paw injury. This time a really nasty metacarpal pad injury on Peril’s right hind paw. An inch and a half long and and very deep. Likely caused by standing on broken glass left in the long grass by some muppet ?. Vet treatment started within 15 minutes of receiving the injury. Stitches and staples have failed to hold the wound together so she has been treated with manuka honey dressings and compression bandages to hold the wound together. This has now turned into a gooey mess resembling trench foot (not bandage weather with all this humidity) and a nasty rub wound where the wet bandage has resulted in an ulcer. More antibiotics and now leaving the wound open as best we can with regular salt water bathing and drying…poor Peril!! She is being a perfect patient. Calm and compliant, even after almost 4 weeks of treatment and zero exercise!! I am blessed ?
 
Ouch, poor Peril, and you. Extra crappy that neither stitches, nor staples has managed to hold the wound closed.
Dealing with a gooey mess, rub wound leading to an ulcer, and I presume that even if you're not taking her out for exercise, she still has to go out to do her toilet business, which could lead to dirt in an open paw wound, so I imagine that though she's being the perfect patient, the last few weeks haven't been easy for you.

Besides her being a perfect patient, the only other positive thing I can think of, is that at least you're not fumbling around in the dark this time, without knows what the problem is this time @Stiff Knees .
Argh, I get quite frustrated about people leaving broken glass behind. I actually saw several pieces of broken glass when going to do our weekly food shopping on my Broom (box trike) only this morning, and couldn't stop myself from picking up the pieces I saw.

{{{{{{Vibes}}}}}} to Peril.
 
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