My dog with Cushing's has a hot, swollen leg. Could it be cellulitis?

Poor girl. If there is no obvious external injury, then I would be concerned that either the bone or the joint is affected. Some possibilities are: bone cancer, bone cyst, bone abscess, subluxation and a bone infection or even hairline fracture. If the pain has been persistent for more than 24 hrs, then I would highly consider having her examined by your vet to have radiograph imaging done to determine the underlying cause of her pain. I hope that Susie is able to get some relief soon. Until she is able to be seen you can try doing a cold compress followed by a warm compress on the painful areas. Also soaking her in a warm water Epsom salt bath for 5-10 minutes can help alleviate some of her discomfort. Best wishes and take care.

I'm sorry to hear that Cookie is having this problem. From your pictures, it looks like the center of the area is a little raw, but crusted over and the entire area looks a little red. Unfortunately, dogs with Cushing's disease have a suppressed immune system, so they have a harder time healing and are more likely to develop infections. For that reason, I would have Cookie evaluated by your veterinarian before that area get infected. I think you will have a very hard time getting it to heal by itself without some professional help and medication. If the area in the center is oozing, I would have it evaluated sooner rather than later. Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately there are no OTC medications you can give Covie, many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. He sounds extremely painful if he can't walk on his leg, and he cannot wait until Thursday to see a vet. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Poor Cujo! He needs to see a vet immediately. He sounds like he is in a lot of pain if he can barely sit, the wounds are infected if pus is coming out, and he needs to be examined and x-rayed to make sure he doesn't have internal injuries. Do not give him any human pain medications, many are toxic to dog and are fatal if given. He needs immediate medical attention, please take him into a vet now.

If I read this correctly your dog's leg was swelling to this size within a few hours. If your vet took x-rays and found bone lesions then there is indeed a possibility of bone cancer. However only a biopsy of the bone or the tissue of the swelling will prove that there is cancer. Without the possibility of examining the leg myself I can only give you possibilitites of why there is a swelling: 1) Check for puncture wounds or an injury. this could be a peracute infection of the joint. 2) this may be an injury of the joint such as a fracture or tendon injury, You should take your dog back to a veterinarian for an exam, especially since this is painful.

Poor Turbo! You need to take him into a vet right away. It sounds serious that he can't use his leg at all, and he need medical attention immediately from a vet. The vet can determine the best course of treatment for him, which may include antibiotics. Please take him into a vet ASAP.

Thank you for your question. A swelling like this could be a couple of things. If Blue does not appear painful and is not limping, this may just be a hygroma, which is just a fluid filled swelling from laying on the hard ground. If this is the case, I would simply recommend soft bedding, and try to keep him from laying directly on the hard floor, and it should improve over 2-3 weeks. If it is painful to the touch, hot, or if Blue is limping, this could be an infection and he should be seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can get him in. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.