Update: Who wants to read my dog's x-rays for free!

[MunchingonHay]

Buma is my 8 yr old Ridgeback. She has been nearly 3 legged lame for nearly to a month. Somedays she uses it, others she does not.

She has been on a full course of painmeds (gabapentin, and rimadyl. I left for 6 days and I was hoping that since I would be gone, she would just rest.

I can’t tell if there is a fracture, (vet and I see a small one) or if its soft tissue.

There is NO heat, swelling, or tenderness. And there never was any of those things.

She allows me to manipulate her shoulder blade, elbow and fetlock.

What do you guys see?

[Cammie]

Have you looked at her neck?

[Simkie]

You may have done this, but if not: sending the films off to a boarded radiologist for review is just not very expensive, and often provides some additional info.

I’d expect a fracture or soft tissue injury in the limb to elicit some sort of response to exam. The neck is an interesting place to go next. Has she been tested for lyme? That can also present with lameness (although IIRC it often shifts limb to limb?) But an easy box to check

[MunchingonHay]

@Cammie Vet did not think anything was wrong with her neck, I am open to explore more. Should I order more film to be done on her neck? Or just palpate? She has full range of motion in her neck. I have watched her clean herself from both sides. Has no problem eating out of her bowl, etc.

@Simkie do you have a link to a boarded radiologist?

I will say that her paw is tender and avoids putting her paw down. More so her metacarpals. That is were I think I see a fracture, it would be our ring finger digit / digit four. Its very slight. Do you guys see it?

She has been checked for Lyme and its a funny result. She tested positive years ago, before I owned her and the vet makes me recheck her blood count every other year just to make sure everything is fine; we just rechecked 6 weeks ago. She is also on flea and tick meds year round (but I know its just a preventative).

Its been the left front the whole time. no limb shift.

ETA: She chooses to lay down over standing.
This all happened when she got hurt by a 65lb black bowling ball being hurled at her. AKA Silly Lilly the puppy running full force into Buma’s shoulder/rib area on her left side. Lilly thinks everyone wants to chest pump with her, she’s a bit of a hot mess pup. Her nickname is Crash Bandi-cute

Buma is eating, wants to play, wants to go for walks, is in good spirits, and happy. Just lame

[Bonnie2]

You shouldn’t have to squint to find what makes a dog non weight bearing. My guess is it’s not the leg. Neck is a good thought. After you described the initiating event I would look at her back and shoulder. I have twice had older dogs very painful after assaults by young bowling balls. (2 different old ladies and two different pups) Both were helped by a short course of steroids. Good luck! And guard your own knees!

[JB]

@MunchingonHay

running full force into Buma’s shoulder/rib area on her left side.

this makes me curious why the leg xrays, and not (also) the shoulder and rib area?

Using it some days, but not others, could mean there’s a bone chip that floats in and out of joint range - in = lame, out = sound.

[Cammie]

With the additional info you added about her getting body-slammed I would look higher up in her neck and shoulder for sure along with her ribs. Not reacting to palpation or flexions on her leg would seem to indicate the problem isn’t stemming from there. My previous dog had likely IVDD neck/spine issues where she would be hobbling lame on her right front. My current dog has neck issues now, which causes random lameness in either front leg at times. Part of her issue is muscle knots in her scalenes, I would have to get an MRI done to see if there is an issue with a disc somewhere or some other soft tissue problem. She has really good flexibility with her neck most of the time, then will turn her head just wrong and visibly react in pain. She gets neck massages regularly and I use a laser on her when it’s bothering her.

ETA- my first dog I don’t believe was actually lame from a pain standpoint, I think she had basically pins and needles/numbness in her leg from her disc being impacted when it would flare up. She would be happy and eager to go on walks and want to play, and did not act like she was hurting but was clearly off on her right front.

[stargzng386]

IVDD can def cause this I’d go see a neurologist. Regular vets really don’t know how to palpate correctly compared to an actual neurologist.

[MunchingonHay]

Appointment has been made to do X-Rays on neck/shoulder/thorasic area for Monday. They do not have a neuro on staff, but they do have a specialist in chiro/acupuncture. I will get a referral for a neuro. State College in Pa is an hour away and hopefully they have a connection there

The vet chose to do the x-rays on her paw/elbow area upon watching her walk.

@JB the vet chose not to do neck/shoulder/ribs due to Buma needing sedation ??? I told them I would hold her but they don’t let owners in the back. I tried to tell the vet of my over a decade long FEI Level experience and they just don’t care/or get it that if I can hold a 1500+ animal for medical procedures, I can hold my 100lb dog that only has eyes for me and is fearful of strangers. I understand how to restrain her. blah blah blah… insurance. yadda yadda yadda. heck, I even worked at a small vet’s office and assisted with doing radiographs. I get it, I am a liability and I could be lying about my experience.

4 of their 7 vets are on holiday this week I asked for additional vets to look at the film too just in case.

So you guys do not see any possible small fracture on her at all?

[Simkie]

@MunchingonHay

@Simkie do you have a link to a boarded radiologist?

Your vet will have a contact for this, just ask.

[stargzng386]

I would def go see the chiro. The one I take my dogs too is sometimes better at diagnosing. My one dog went through X-rays and an MRI was still limping and the chiro found a rib out. One adjustment and she was sound

[MunchingonHay]

The vet with the chiro/acupuncture is out until next week, and I am going to make an appointment with her as well. She is one of our 7 vets.

In the meantime, I got Buma some Gaba again to help with some more Rimadyl to help take the edge off. I would rather her be in a bit of discomfort so she does not hurt herself any futher.

[S1969]

@MunchingonHay

the vet chose not to do neck/shoulder/ribs due to Buma needing sedation ??? I told them I would hold her but they don’t let owners in the back. I trie

Well…I would rather have the dog sedated to get good xrays than try to restrain a painful dog for xrays. And I’m sure the vet office has seen more than their share of “no really, I can do it” only to have the owners bitten.

But, more than that - if she is in pain, I wouldn’t want her restrained for the xray because - it hurts, and also, you might not get a good xray if it hurts to lie in the proper position.

[skydy]

@MunchingonHay

So you guys do not see any possible small fracture on her at all?

In the last x-ray I think I see something that looks like a small oblique fracture of the bone you described, but I’m not an expert by any means.

[hoopoe]

I would certainly seek a second opinion at the vet school. The vet school also can review the radiographs. With a history of high chest blunt trauma I would focus their including a possible involvement of radial nerve

[MunchingonHay]

Thank you everyone. Buma has an appointment Monday morning and I am going to drop her off since they will sedate her.

Next step will be to reach out to Penn State to see what the next course of action is if these radiographs are good.

She started a second round of Gaba and Rimadyl and it seems to have taken the edge off.

[skydy]

My neighbor had a dog come up 3 legged lame, but it was a hind leg. Vet diagnosed nerve damage. Neighbor didn’t elaborate and he moved a short time later, so I never knew how, or if, it resolved.

Good luck at the vet, I hope they can find the cause and that Buma heals up quickly.

[MunchingonHay]

Update Tuesday 18, day after her second set of radiographs.

Buma spent the day at the vet’s and had a really hard time coming out of sedation.

Vet re-x-rayed the original areas that we did last week (paws, fetlock, lower leg) and also did her both sides of her shoulders, rib cage and neck areas. (I am waiting on the radiographs to be emailed to me).

He did not see any fractures or anything out of place or misaligned.

He did see (and he used the word) Legions at the top of her humerous where it mets the scapula.

The vet said that she has Tendinopathy damage. Both shoulders are affected.

He ruled out cancer (but again, used the word legion which I ways associate with cancers)

Buma was dosed with Librela. And will continue to be dosed every 30 days for the rest of her life. She will get Rimydal and Gaba when needed. He also suggested Dasaquin and Omgea-3’s, and chiro work.

We pulled blood to get a baseline of her organs, and the results are all normal.

He said that they could go in and do a surgery similar to a human with an injured rotator cuff, but I have a hard time justifing putting her through 2 surgeries, healing, going under sedation twice.

I will give her some time for the Librela to work. I have a hard time understanding why she would be 3-legged lame on the left consistently if its both shoulders that are giving her grief and he said her right side was worse.

I am going to seek a vet with an MRI if I do not see any relief in her movement.

She turns 9 in early July. Has this just become a quality of life issue?

[MunchingonHay]

I have more, let me know if you want to see them.

[Bonnie2]

Vets use lesions as a general description of anomalous areas. Don’t over worry about cancer. I am not a vet but the top of that humerus sure does look scruffy! These are probably age related changes aggravated by the collision. An MRI would be informative but requires another full sedation. Hopefully the Librela will help. Adequan might help. I had an outstanding result from Anicell in my dog, might be worth asking the vet about. I would give her a couple weeks and see how well she recovers before I made any big decisions. Sending healing vibes!