[King Lumpy]

Hello,
I have been lurking this website for awhile now. This seems to be a great place for us rottie owners to gather information about this wonderfully complex animal. I have the privledge of being the proud owner of one of the loyalest, kindest souls ever to grace this earth. His name is Lumpy. Before I continue I will stress That my friend Lumpy, Is 14 years old. He has lived a pretty care-free life. Recently I Have been having limping problems with Lumpy. He is still very active but has become very upset at the fact that he had to take some time off from rolling in the snow! It seems that his rear right leg had been giving him grief. Sometimes he walks on 3 legs babying the rear right leg, sometimes he uses all 4 but kind of pussy-foots on his injured leg. I was not worried at first for I have always had luck with Baby Asprin/Buffered Asprin The Lumpster would have no problems shaking off whatever pain was hinderiing him. However, one morning I awoke To Find A Big Ball-Like Bump On The Bend Of His Rear Right Leg. Looks kind of like tendonitus. I got My buddy into the vets right away. He was prescribed Tramadol for pain and the Ramidyl For anti-inflammitory. The tramadol gets him very stoned and mixed with the Rimadyl works fine. However, The Swelling has not gone down... Hasn't gotten any bigger, but has not gotten any smaller either. No matter what he is doing, He is not crying or whimpering In any pain. But it is clear that this swelling is causing pressure on his leg. At the vet I Had him checked for Osteosarcoma (sic) and he has a clean bill from that. However, I was informed by the vet that His rear right leg is loaded with arthritis. Now, I Am not in denial in anyway, I realize That at 14 years a rottie will have problems such as arthritis....and it might just very well be a terrible terminal growth on his leg. However, He Continues to live his life. He does everything that he usually does and He is showing no "end of life" signs that dogs usually show when they want you to know that it's time. I am now going to take King Lumpy to the vet this thursday to have a needle aspiration to see what the problem is. He is now adapting to walking on 3 legs and I really don't want him to do that. I Hope my friend is alright.