My dog cries and struggles to get up. What do his X-rays mean?

I agree with the doctor who said the x-rays were not positioned properly. In order to obtain really diagnostic quality hip x-rays, the patience should be fully sedated. Without being able to bend the hips all the way downward, you simply can not obtain completely accurate results. Depending on the current clinical picture, I might possible recommend starting medication. Joint supplementation definitely can't hurt, but starting an NSAID at this early of an age is not advisable unless there is clear and obvious discomfort / inflammatory pain. Hope this helps!

IF the x-ray is clear then it must be a neurological issue. In a small puppy I would be worried about distemper or a problem with the spinal cord. I think more testing needs to be done. If you access to a veterinary specialist in neurology in your area I suggest you take him there. Your vet should be able to give you a reference.

I'm sorry to hear about Freddie Harte's limping. I am not seeing any obvious defects on this x-ray. The challenge is that the findings on exam are extremely important in trying to diagnose orthopedic issues; it would help to know if Freddie has proprioceptive deficits in his hind end, decreased range of motion, muscle atrophy, medial buttressing, etc as well as trying to localize any pain that may be contributing to his limping - all of this information would be combined with findings on x-ray to try to reach a diagnosis. Small dogs such as Shih Tzus are prone to luxating patellas, which may not always be evident on an x-ray but would be detected on exam. Did your vet discuss the option of referral to a specialist for a more concrete answer? I'm happy to give you my input on the x-ray - but referral to an orthopedic specialist who will be able to put their hands on your dog, as well as look at these x-rays, will give you much more beneficial input. I know its frustrating to have a chronically limping dog without an answer! I hope this helps!

From what I can see his hips look pretty good, there is good coverage of the femoral head by the hip socket, the femoral heads seem to be pretty smooth and rounded, but if you want a second opinion, you can ask your vet for copies of the x-rays or ask them to send them to a veterinary radiologist for an expert eye.

The x-rays are a bit difficult to interpret because they are a little fuzzy, but I can see that Maicah has some minor changes on the bottoms of her vertebrae - called spondylosis. This can definitely cause discomfort in the back. I would talk to her vet about treatments that can help with this kind of pain. I am not able to evaluate her hind limbs because the assistant's hands are covering them up. Another possible cause of her stiffness is joint pain caused by the ehrlichia infection. This should improve with appropriate treatment.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Looking at x-rays that are not viewed with a proper screen can be very difficult, so it can be easy to miss things on these images. I can see the following: 1. The heart does NOT appear to be enlarged 2. The lungs have a slight increased opacity around the peri-hilar region (this can sometimes be associated with heart disease) 3. There is poor detail in the abdomen (this could be due to 'chest settings' and not actually 'real') 4. There is some discospondylosis present in the lumbar vertebrae (bridging between two vertebrae- likely inconsequential) 5. There is no sign of free fluid or free gas in the chest cavity 6. On the second image there is some gas in the esophagus, but this might be artifact of being sedated. 7. On the second image the lungs seem more 'white' then they should be, in the caudo-dorsal region. I recommend that if you are still unsure, have the x-rays sent to a radiologist specialist, as they will get a format they can better manipulate and give you better information about the lung parenchyma (tissue itself of the lungs) which is very hard to evaluate with the images you have provided. I don't see anything too remarkable in these x-rays. If you tell us what is clinically wrong with George we can look at the images again with his clinical picture in mind. Best of luck with George!

I'm sorry to hear that Axel has been having so much trouble with his hind legs lately. Stumbling and falling can occur as a result of worsening arthritis issues or neurologic deficits. Stumbling and difficulty standing up can be signs of pain, even though he is still eating and not crying out. It sounds as though it is worth taking a trip to the vet to evaluate Axel's neurologic status, as well as to discuss additional options for pain management. X-rays may be beneficial to track any changes in his arthritis, but you can also ask your vet if it is possible to try treating conservatively with medications for a period of time first. In addition, fish oil supplements can be helpful to decrease inflammation in joints for the long term. Until his vet appointment, you can use a large towel as a "sling" to help Axel to stand up, or this type of product: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-lifts/solvit-carelift-rear-dog-lifting-aid. I hope that all goes well for Axel!