Updated September 25, 2026. Fact-checked against veterinary sources; review by a licensed veterinarian is in progress. See our editorial policy.
Quick answer: Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that cushions areas where skin, tendons, and bone rub together. In dogs, the most common form is an elbow hygroma: a soft, painless, fluid-filled swelling over the point of the elbow, usually in large or giant young dogs that lie on hard floors. Most hygromas improve with soft bedding and padding. Swellings that are hot, painful, red, draining, or growing quickly need a vet, as do lumps that might be something else.
Signs
- A soft, squishy swelling over the elbow, hock, or hip, often on bony pressure points
- Usually painless at first
- Heat, redness, pain, discharge, or ulcerated skin if it becomes infected or irritated
- Limping or stiffness with some types of bursitis or tendon inflammation
Causes and risk factors
- Repeated pressure: lying on concrete, tile, or hardwood
- Large or giant breeds such as Great Danes, Mastiffs, and Labradors, especially young dogs
- Thin or bony dogs, and older or less mobile dogs that flop down hard
- Injury to the area
- Overweight or joint problems that change how a dog lies and moves
When to see a vet
See your vet for any new lump, since other growths can look similar. Go promptly if the swelling is hot, painful, red, draining, has broken skin, grows quickly, or your dog is limping or seems unwell.
How vets diagnose it
Your vet will examine the swelling and usually take a small needle sample of the fluid. X-rays or ultrasound may be used if a joint or tendon problem is suspected.
Treatment
- Uncomplicated hygromas: pressure relief with padding and soft bedding. Many shrink over weeks to months.
- Vets usually avoid draining simple hygromas with a needle, because they tend to refill and draining can introduce infection.
- Infected or ulcerated hygromas: antibiotics, drains, or surgery, followed by bandaging.
- Chronic or very large hygromas: surgical removal or drain placement, with a padded bandage while healing.
- Pain relief with a veterinary NSAID if the area is inflamed.
Home care that helps
- Thick, soft bedding: orthopedic foam beds, and rugs on hard floors where your dog likes to lie.
- Elbow pads or protective sleeves made for dogs, fitted so they don’t rub.
- Keep the area clean and dry, and check the skin daily.
- Healthy weight to reduce pressure on joints.
- Cold compress for a fresh, sore injury (10 minutes, with a cloth between the ice pack and skin), if your vet agrees.
What to avoid
- Draining or lancing the swelling yourself.
- Tight wraps or bandages without your vet’s guidance, which can cut off circulation and cause sores.
- Human pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen, which are dangerous for dogs.
- Essential oils or DMSO rubbed on the area without veterinary advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is an elbow hygroma painful?
Usually not, unless it becomes infected or ulcerated.
Will it go away on its own?
Many small hygromas shrink once the pressure is removed, but that can take weeks to months.
Can it come back?
Yes, if the dog goes back to lying on hard surfaces. Padding and bedding are long-term fixes.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Hygroma in dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Bursitis in small animals
- Pavletic MM. Atlas of Small Animal Wound Management and Reconstructive Surgery. Wiley-Blackwell
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Hygroma in dogs
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for care from your own veterinarian. Learn about The Pet Vet and our editorial policy.