My beautiful 7 month old Great Dane got into a terrible car accident 3 weeks ago. He was hospitalized for a week and fortunately did NOT have anything broken. He was however, severely hurt and bruised leaving him limping for about 2 weeks after. He no longer limps but now has a fluid filled sac on the side he was hit. Upon touching, squeezing, moving and massaging it, he doesn't appear to be in any pain. He sleeps on that side with no discomfort. Eats and drinks normally. He has been on raw food since he we got him with no issues.

After some research, I've found that the problem could be a number of things.... lymphedema (but there is no dentation upon touch, it's just a sac that seems to move with gravity), sarcoma (but he doesn't appear to be in pain and the sac is not encased to one area).

After the accident, he seems to have some post traumatic stress about being around cars (since he was born, he was already very car sick and would throw up during any car ride). Hence my anxiety about bringing him to the vet once again for a follow up review and unfortunately, no vets make house calls.

Here is a picture. Any suggestions and expertise is greatly appreciated.

My Blue Merle with fluid sac

What a pretty boy!

I am pretty sure that is not lymphedema. However, it could be an accumulation of fluid due to his injury...Red and white blood cells that collect at the site of injury....You could give him some rescue remedy, and take him to the vet to have the area drained(inserting a needle, and sucking out the fluid with a syringe), or, the easiest way to go, and what will probably happen over time, is to do nothing.....if the area causes no discomfort, and is due to his accident, the fluid will eventually be reabsorbed without any intervention at all. It will take some time(weeks or months), but it will happen.

I think you should do nothing, and the fluid will be reabsorbed. It appears to be an after effect of is injury. If, a couple months down the line, it is still there, then have it drained at the vet.

Best

Thank you for your recommendation.  Have you had this happen to you as well?  You said it takes some time to go away....   I'm just wondering if there is anything that I could also give him i.e. natural product to help reduce the fluid accumulation... milk thistle?  dandilion roo?

I can't say this has happened to me...but, from my medical back ground, it does not look like lymphedema or sarcoma. Lymphedema in people is more generalized to an affected area. Tumors(sarcoma and others), tend to be fixed and hard, meaning you can't usually move them side to side, and they are quite firm to the touch. They are usually painless.

It appears as though he may have a hematoma, or collection of blood and other fluids to the area. This is common in certain unjuries.  It will take time for the blood or other fluid to be reabsorbed into the body. If you are in a hurry, the vet can use a needle and syringe to aspirate the fluid collected there under the skin, and he or she can send the fluid for cytology to make sure there is nothing abnormal there.

That is my opinion. If it were me, I'd have the fluid aspirated and be done with it.

Good Luck!