Chief - Joint Hematoma

Meet Chief. 

Chief was presented for an acute swelling over the inside of his hock (ankle) and associated lameness. His owner suspected that Chief became entangled in his leash while he was outside. The initial swelling had decreased in size over a few days but a golf ball sized lump remained. 

X-rays of the affected joint did not determine any fractures or boney lesions. Rest and pain medication did not result in any improvement of his condition so Chief was scheduled for an exploratory arthrotomy. 

The skin was excised revealing a well-encapsulated mass arising from within the joint.

The mass was removed from the surrounding structures. The joint was sutured closed, and bandaged. The mass was sent in for a biopsy to rule out the possibility of cancer. Histopathology (biopsy) revealed a granuloma with a hematoma (blood clot). Granulomas and hematomas are non-cancerous masses. Chief recovered from surgery and began using the leg within a few days. 

Special thanks to Chief's owners for allowing us to share this case.