[dobaroma]

So this past Saturday I had been playing indoors with a laser pointer light (Kiki was chasing it like mad around the house). Shortly after that, we noticed this lump on her shoulder. I took her to the vet Monday morning. The vet said it was a blood blister due to some sort of trauma - so the only thing I can think of is she ran into a piece of furniture. I'm with her all the time since I work from home and so I keep a close eye on her. Really not sure how this happened. Anyway, she drained a syringe full of blood out (which made no difference in the size of it) and said it should go away on it's own in about a week. Well it's been four days since we noticed it and no difference in size. Needless to say, I'm kind of skeptical of it going away anytime soon on it's own. Has anyone ever seen this or experienced it with your own dog?

 

[Nubis'sDad]

Personally I would get a second opinion. something just doesn't seem right.
Is it painful to touch? Does it affect gait/walk.
Im certainly not try to scare you, but a friends dog got one similar to that out of the blue and now it's huge, .
It never caused the dog the discomfort except for repositioning itself. Due to the dogs old age, they were advised to leave it bcuz of the operation and its size. It certainly wasn't small like that.
Just get another professional observation or others on here.

 

[dobaroma]

It doesn't seem to bother her at all when I touch it and it hasn't affecting her gait/walk at all. But yeah, I think you're right...if I don't notice any change in the next day or so, I'm going to take her to another vet.

 

[dobaroma]

Seroma is what the vet said it was...I was trying to think of the medical term and it just came to me.

 

[Nubis'sDad]

Thanks for the term.
This is one of the best definitions I found.
"" Seromas can also sometimes be caused by injury, such as when the initial swelling from a blow or fall does not fully subside. The remaining serous fluid causes a seroma that the body usually gradually absorbs over time (often taking many days or weeks); however, a knot of calcified tissue sometimes remains.""
Sounds like he is must have hit hard with his weight. At least it isn't broken bones.
I am. Just curious why he removed the fluid. I'm not a vet or doctor but I would think swelling fluids is meant for a reason.
If someone gave you a swollen face, a doctor wouldn't stick a needle in and remove the fluid.

 

[mmctaq]

If your vet withdrew blood from the swelling, it is a hematoma, not a seroma. I wouldn't bother with a second opinion... it will go away over time. I would have your dog's vWD status tested... I would suspect that he is affected. My affected dog got a similar hematoma after playing with a particularly violent and fun puppygirl... it took a couple of weeks, at least, to reduce.

I would caution you with regard to the use of laser pointers with dogs. In some dogs, playing with lasers will result in OCD-type behavior which will generalize and expand into the dog spending all of his time obsessively looking for glints of light and shadow. I have not seen this in Dobermans, but it is common in spaniels and herding dogs who have been allowed to chase the dot. If your dog continues to look for the dot after you've put the pointer away, I would no longer play this game at all. With some dogs, it may only take playing one time for a few minutes to develop a lifetime obsession...

 

[mmctaq]

I am. Just curious why he removed the fluid. I'm not a vet or doctor but I would think swelling fluids is meant for a reason.
If someone gave you a swollen face, a doctor wouldn't stick a needle in and remove the fluid.

Sticking a needle in there and withdrawing some fluid is how one determines what kind of fluid is in there... knowing what it is has diagnostic value.

 

[MeadowCat]

Shanoa had a hematoma on her rear end as a puppy. It wasn't as bad as the one in your pictures, but it did take a while to go away. Our vet recommended warm compresses on it a couple of times a day. It did eventually go away.

 

[dobaroma]

Thanks all! I've never heard of a laser pointer causing harm like that, but it makes sense. She does look for it after I put it away for a while. So I guess I need to stop that....

 

[dobaroma]

Meadowcat - my vet recommended the same thing.

 

[Nubis'sDad]

Thanks all! I've never heard of a laser pointer causing harm like that, but it makes sense. She does look for it after I put it away for a while. So I guess I need to stop that....

in all fairness, speed inside the house can be very dangerous.
All my dobes have been around cats, and yes the cats can go where a dobe can't go. But I won't tolerate speed inside the house bcuz it will harm everyone. My first dobe clipped a doorway once when he was a pup chasing one of the cats and i thought for sure there would be bones sticking out. Luckily there wasn't and it was just sore for awhile. I laid the law down that day and both the cat and the dog would get reprimanded in future incidents.
Tough Love
SCENARIO 1:
Puppy runs around coffe table, WHAM!!! Hits corner of table, pup has one eye now. It only takes seconds and its just that easy. My childhood friend had a one eye dog, so I really know it can happen.
SCENARIO 2:
MY aunt had a puppy, unruly in the kitchen she tripped over pup, a pot full of hot water all over the dog. Pup had to be put down. I was in other room and heard it all and then seen the dog crying for blue murder. Even as a kid, I screamed kill him, you have to kill him and take him out of misery because I knew he was finished. They still had to drive him to the vet, so who was being really humane there.
She never owned another dog in her life.
I am not trying to scare anyone but that is several examples of sadness I have seen. Hopefully my sharing and exchanging sadness can open our eyes, if we need them open.

 

[mmctaq]

in all fairness, speed inside the house can be very dangerous.

Speed outside the house can be very dangerous... a stick in the eye is as likely as a table corner in the eye. Were I to exercise the control necessary to keep my dog safe, she would have no life at all.

 

[mmctaq]

Thanks all! I've never heard of a laser pointer causing harm like that, but it makes sense. She does look for it after I put it away for a while. So I guess I need to stop that....

Yeah, you really do. I would also keep an eye out for "looking for" behaviors... maybe seeming to be staring at/tracking (imaginary) bugs on the floor or walls... downward focus with jerky back and forth head movement... I would not allow any of this - distract and/or discipline. If you have anything which makes shiny glints (suncatchers on windows, mirrors placed where they catch and reflect sunlight, etc.), I would remove them.

 

[monicaei]

Speed outside the house can be very dangerous... a stick in the eye is as likely as a table corner in the eye. Were I to exercise the control necessary to keep my dog safe, she would have no life at all.

Pretty sure Leo almost concussed himself chasing a squirrel one day. Wether or not he saw the the tree I don't know (it's an oak in his yard, it hasnt moved since he got here LOL) but his brakes failed... Doesn't mean he can't chase anymore squirrels. I'd rather have the vet # memorized than make him live in bubble wrap.

 

[maggiemay]

The area that it appears makes me think of a reaction to an injection. Has she had any injections within the last several weeks?

Reba seems to get reactions that look exactly like that and they can appear weeks after an injection and last for 6-8 weeks.

 

[mmctaq]

Pretty sure Leo almost concussed himself chasing a squirrel one day. Wether or not he saw the the tree I don't know (it's an oak in his yard, it hasnt moved since he got here LOL) but his brakes failed... Doesn't mean he can't chase anymore squirrels. I'd rather have the vet # memorized than make him live in bubble wrap.

LOL! Unless the bleeding won't stop or the body part doesn't work within maybe three days, I usually count myself lucky.

Rachael (who was eight yesterday) just spent three days as a tripod... she was sooooo excited at the prospect of my throwing a toy that she launched herself into a tornado-like spin which ended with her shoulder crashing into a 6 X 6 deck post so hard that the noise almost made me throw up. It was dark, but I recognized the noise from the last time she did this, and also crippled herself for three days. I have never had a dog so heedless of her own safety and well-being... she's pretty much banged up all the time, one place or another... I'm pretty sure she could kill herself in a padded cell!

 

[madmony]

LOL! Unless the bleeding won't stop or the body part doesn't work within maybe three days, I usually count myself lucky.

Rachael (who was eight yesterday) just spent three days as a tripod... she was sooooo excited at the prospect of my throwing a toy that she launched herself into a tornado-like spin which ended with her shoulder crashing into a 6 X 6 deck post so hard that the noise almost made me throw up. It was dark, but I recognized the noise from the last time she did this, and also crippled herself for three days. I have never had a dog so heedless of her own safety and well-being... she's pretty much banged up all the time, one place or another... I'm pretty sure she could kill herself in a padded cell!

I thought mine was the only one, everyday we are looking at something. He just had 3 growths removed, one on his lip (he could have gone as a witch for Halloween), one on his tounge, and one on his leg. Then he broke the stitches open on his lip, then licked the one on his leg. Back to the vet and he stapled them. He is always getting dinged up.

 

[dobaroma]

@Maggiemay - she was spayed about a week before that appeared. I had the same thought, that it was the injection - asked the vet and she said "well if it was that, it would of appeared right away" - so I'm guessing that's what it is now since I haven't seen her hit anything in the house...and besides that, it's an odd place on her body to hit something.

 

[maggiemay]

@Maggiemay - she was spayed about a week before that appeared. I had the same thought, that it was the injection - asked the vet and she said "well if it was that, it would of appeared right away" - so I'm guessing that's what it is now since I haven't seen her hit anything in the house...and besides that, it's an odd place on her body to hit something.

Here is a picture of one of Reba's injection reactions....it took at least a week for it to show up....maybe longer.

What a sad looking girl she is in that picture

 

[dobaroma]

Wow...same exact deal. That's what it is! Thanks so much!