My dog still has pain after 3 months. What are next steps?

I'm not sure you have an accurate diagnosis regarding what problem Trick is suffering from. functional restriction of the joint is the end result, it's not the cause of the lameness, if Trick did not have any imaging diagnostic tests done then this will be the next step before any other treatment is attempted.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Trick is uncomfortable. If his stifle is swollen or tender we would be concerned about an ACL injury, a sprain or muscle pull, or another ligament injury. If his hip is uncomfortable he could also have aggravated a congenital dysplasia issue, or pulled a muscle or ligament. If it does not improve or worsens after 24-48hours of rest, I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his discomfort. I would touch base with your regular veterinarian before altering his medications. Good luck!

Hello. Unfortunately, x-rays do not show every kind of injury that can happen, especially when it may involve soft tissues like muscles, ligaments & tendons. A torn or partially torn tendon can take twice as long to heal as a broken bone & you can not tell Bane to take it easy or use crutches. I would give him at least another 4-6 weeks to see if this will heal, especially if he is showing some improvement. Rest & gently exercise are important, so working with a canine rehabilitation medicine specialist, especially if they offer water therapy can be very helpful. If you really want to diagnose the problem, the best solution would be an MRI, as this is how most sports injuries are diagnosed. It may be something to consider & talk to your vet about. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If they are not concerned about a broken bone, it may be a good idea to give Ben some time to rest up to see if this is just a soft tissue injury of some sort. I would give him a few days to a week on the medications and complete rest limiting his activity to see if he improves on his own. If no improvement is seen by then or he worsens in the meantime, have him reevaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

It can take a long time (2-4 weeks, in most cases) for symptoms to resolve completely with rest and medication. So as long as things are gradually improving, I would be patient and continue to follow your veterinarian's instructions :)

I'm so sorry that Audrey is painful. Even if your veterinarian can't see anything on x-rays, it does not mean that she is not painful. Soft tissue pain can be very painful. I would recommend contacting your veterinarian to let them know that Audrey is still painful. They may want to examine her again to see if they can find anything new on examination to pin-point the source of her pain. I am attaching a link to a handout below with more information on pain medications for dogs. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=587 Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Audrey feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I am assuming that the diagnosis was rather a slipped disk as sciatica is moe of a symptom which is common in humans but not in dogs. This type of condition can continue causing problems during Trick's life, it's always difficult to know how bad it will be, he may never suffer from this again after recovery or he may suffer from it every now and then, excessive exercise, running, jumping and rough playing can all contribute to the recurrence of the condition.