This was my first thought too. Can you take the x-ray to a Dr. for a second opinion. I took my dog to an emergency vet and as soon as the x-ray was developed she showed me it was pano and x-rayed the other back leg to check and she had it there too. Pano is very easy to see with a trained eye, looks like fibers almost running up the bone.

PS - Did they take an x-ray of the other leg for a joint comparison?

Edited by Kimberly Bunk (02/09/2009 04:04 PM)
Edit reason: Added PS

 Quote: Kimberly Bunk

Can you take the x-ray to a Dr. for a second opinion... Pano is very easy to see with a trained eye, looks like fibers almost running up the bone.

I would hope that if it was pano, even this green vet would have spotted it... but maybe not - it never hurts to get a second opinion.

Tracy, I know you know your way about the MA area better than I do, but if you've never had to see an ortho vet around here, feel free to PM me - I've found a couple specialists that I really liked (especially the one who told me Oscar didn't have a torn CCL after all - I REALLY like her! :grin. I also have a practice to avoid...

Sure hope little Briar doesn't end up needing ANY of that though - now that you have clear x-rays, I'd think waiting a while to see if he'll heal on his own would be even easier on the nerves... Good luck!

~Natalya

Thanks everyone,

It's not pano. Truman (my deceased dog) went thru a bout of it, and after doing all kinds of tests, including bloodwork for Cushings disease (because he was trembling, and reluctant to walk). They finally X rayed, and that is what they saw. I saw Briars X rays, and it wasn't pano.

They did films of both forelegs, from the shoulder to the toes. Both looked perfectly normal. He was sedated at the time, so the films are clear and well positioned.

This vet I saw this morning, was very young, and I think was fairly fresh out of vet school. I don't think he had the concept of being conservative.

Even after I explained how the injury occurred (Dog was fine leaving crate, went outside in snow/ice, 5 minutes later came back with very noticeable limp). He still wasn't hearing me, kept talking about OCD and orthopedic surgery. Being an ex vet tech, I expected more of "ya, since the x rays were clean, and from what you are telling me, he probably has a soft tissue injury"

My plan is to give him the antibiotic for the faint positive lyme, and if he does not get better in a few days, start him on anti-inflammatory's with lots of crate rest.

Natalya, would you PM me those vets? Both the orthapedic (hopefully I won't need it!) and the one to avoid.

Thanks,

Tracy