Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 12 year old german-shepherd-mix has developed hygromas on her elbows. One has gotten large and fluid-filled and has burst...it is bleeding/draining on and off. We have been to the vet and he was no help. He had no suggestions as to what to do...just keep it bandaged and deal with it. My dog is pulling the bandage off and licks the area until it starts draining again. I have no idea what to treat it with, or how to get it to dry up. There has to be somethig to put on this to get it to dry up...Help!

Try getting her a very soft bed, like maybe one of those orthopedic foam ones. I got a pretty big one at I think Petco for about $30. Don't let her lie down on hard floors, that will irritate it. You could try tea tree oil, it's supposed to help heal and keep the wound clean. And for the bandages you could spray bitter apple on the outside of the bandage. She won't want to lick that nasty stuff for anything.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

Thanks for the bitter apple idea..I think I'll try that...my dog is a house dog who is on carpet all day...she has a big soft bed she sleeps on, but lies around all day on the carpeted floors, also. I think she is just getting old and has displaysia and arthritis and is not as active as she used to be and this is the result. I am still looking for something to dry the fluid up..I have found a couple suggestions. I am going to ask the pharmasist tomorrow and see if he has any suggestions.