My senior Greyhound pulled his shoulder. Can it heal without an X-ray?

Osteosarcoma can’t be totally diagnosed by an X-ray, and this doesn’t look definitive to me. I recommend taking him to an orthopedic specialist for a second opinion, and they can take another X-ray to compare with this. If it’s bone cancer the moth eaten area will probably be larger or more defined. They can also do a bone biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. He could be lame from a shoulder problem, or even pain radiating down his leg from a disc in his neck. Hopefully he is on pain medication. In my opinion the next step to be sure of the diagnosis would be to get an exam with a specialist. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Riot.

Hi. There is an abnormality in the cores of the bone near shoulder. Cancer is a possibility, along with bone infections (bacterial or fungal), or inflammatory diseases. Unfortunately with her being older, cancer is higher on the list then younger pets. Based on this xray, we can't say for sure. I would recommend sending these x-rays to a radiology specialist, which your veterinarian can do. A bone biopsy can be done as well to determine if the changes are consistent w cancer. Good luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is possible that he has a fractured bone that is causing him discomfort and lameness. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays taken of this leg to rule out any bone fractures as the cause. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I personally believe it is always necessary to do an x-ray. Unfortunately, they are expensive but they are the best way to determine what is causing the pain in his leg. X-rays can help to rule out fractures, dysplasia, or soft tissue injury. A cruciate ligament injury is also a possibility, so your veterinarian may want to perform an orthopedic test to see if there is any laxity in the knee. There is no guarantee the problem will heal with rest and prolonging an accurate diagnosis may just make the problem worse.

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!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Muneca is limping. Based off the radiograph, it looks like her fibula, the smaller bone in her lower leg, may be fractured. It is difficult to know for sure without an orthogonal view, but that may be the reason for her limping. I recommend restricting her activity to cage rest and leash walks only, do not let her run or play for at least 4 weeks to allow time for the bone to heal. I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian who can perform bloodwork and see if it is safe to prescribe her anti-inflammatory pain medications to help her feel more comfortable. NEVER give human pain medications to dogs as they can be markedly toxic. I hope this is helpful!

I would recommend taking Jax to a veterinarian. The veterinarian will perform a physical examination and then they may take an xray depending on what they feel and see. If they do not find anything they can provide Jax with a good anti-inflammatory to help with the pain. I hope Jax feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.