Lame dog

Hi vets, Wondered if anyone could give a second opinion on these X-rays? 12 year old dog. Left forelimb lameness improved with antibiotics then got worse again. Gradually worsening over the past 3 months. Pain on palpation around the left wrist joint and has been treated for an infected claw on the left paw 8 weeks ago (the starting incident for vet treatment). Muscle loss around left shoulder and now winging from the elbow. My first practitioner vets have sent it off for an orthopaedic consult but in the meantime it would be nice to settle my brain that nothing terrible is happening with my dog 🤞🏻 Thank you 🙏🏻

Hello and thank you for this interesting question.  With my harsh scientific hat on rather than my people-hat, I can point out that nobody can tell you even from a very comprehensive series of x-rays that nothing terrible is happening with your dog; however, investigation of any areas of concern is always a good way forward. We do not read radiographs as part of this series; I have no additional qualifications in reading radiographs so this is best done by the vet who has the full context available to them and if they are unsure, then an expert.  Sometimes if experts are unsure, they will offer further tests or a biopsy.  My job is to help you to get the best out of your vet and I, perhaps like your vet, am a little concerned about the way some of these joints present on the radiograph.  It therefore seems a good idea to maximise the effectiveness of the radiographs already taken, to ask for the comment of an expert.  This seems a reasonable and appropriate next step. Lameness is usually a reflection of pain; the fact that an animal is lame tends to imply that it hurts to put the leg down properly.  The changes to the nail may have been part of a cause of this (for example, fungal infection affecting bone causing pain,  not the only possibility) or part of a consequence of this (ie lameness / altered weight-bearing causing damage to the nail).     It  may be worth asking whether your pet can have pain relief in the meantime, in order to make them more comfortable.  Wishing you the best of luck with this case going forward; please would you let us know how your chihuahua gets on?