My 6 yr old GSD has a limp, gets much worse with use, improves if I strictly restrict activity to gentle short walks. I think our 2yr old GSD body slammed him while we were playing in the yard. Vet wants $600 for x-rays with sedative and blood work to make sure the sedative will be ok........any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Michael

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 Quote: Michael Reis

My 6 yr old GSD has a limp, gets much worse with use, improves if I strictly restrict activity to gentle short walks. I think our 2yr old GSD body slammed him while we were playing in the yard. Vet wants $600 for x-rays with sedative and blood work to make sure the sedative will be ok........any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Michael

About the x-rays .... If this were me, I would probably lay my cards on the table with the vet (not a receptionist or tech) and ask if a mild sedative, say, with you in the x-ray room right until the x-ray person says "Now" and then you back out would work.

I would not have anesthesia on my dog without the blood workup. However, I have twice had emergency dogs x-rayed with those little sandbags in place to hold the sedated (not anesthetized) dog in position, with me there* up until the last second. (Even though often the only difference between sedation and anesthesia is amount, I still believe it's worthy of discussion. Both times I'm talking about, the dog had just valium and was not "under." But also, the position, one a paw and one a foreleg, was not painful and so not being strenuously resisted. IMO, this is an important factor.)

I would ask how uncomfortable the position required will be. I would talk about the sedation versus anesthesia and explore the vet's position on anesthesia for this.

The $600 doesn't shock me. Those tests can weed out crucial challenges that would alter the vet's anesthesia protocol, IMO. Kidney health, liver problems, heart disease and diabetes -- all tested for.

I'm not a health professional. I have found it beneficial to really discuss costs one by one, being clear about the financial challenges. JMO!


*
I should note that the owner's presence is NOT universally beneficial .... part of the discussion, IMO.




PS

Please don't post a question in two threads. Answers get separated, responding people may see only part of a thread, etc.

Connie,
Thanks. This dog has EPI and I don't know if its all EPI dogs or just Shambo, but he has always been very sensitive and high-strung. Only GSD I have ever had (of six) that I cannot trim his nails. But there is a tech at the vet who he tolerates doing it. Anyway, I doubt the xrays would work with just a sedative -- but I will definitley ask!