Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with painful swollen back legs after injury and treatment options
By LaBarre, A & Coyne, B E·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1999·Companion Veterinary Clinic, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Reflex sympathetic dystrophy in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old female Labrador was brought in with swelling and sensitivity in both back legs after an injury. The dog showed signs of pain and discomfort, which are common symptoms of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a condition that can occur after an injury. The veterinarian started treatment with a short course of steroids and lidocaine injections to help relieve the pain. Fortunately, this approach helped reduce the swelling and improve the dog's comfort, allowing her to recover and return to normal activity.
People also search for: dog leg swelling treatment · Labrador pain relief · reflex sympathetic dystrophy in dogs
Abstract
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a well-recognized syndrome in human patients following injury to an extremity. The syndrome may include hyperesthesia and autonomic changes. The autonomic changes are initial vasodilatation followed by vasoconstriction (e.g., edema followed by cyanosis, and cool skin); hyper- or hypohydrosis; atrophic changes in the skin, subcutis, and muscles; and osteoporosis. Early treatment with a short course of steroids and infiltration of the painful site with lidocaine may alleviate symptoms. If that fails, sympathetic ganglionic block with lidocaine (and possibly steroids) or surgical sympathectomy may provide resolution. A case of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in a dog is presented, involving bilateral distal hind-limb edema and hyperesthesia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10333261/