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NEED HELP DOG HAS BEEN LIMPING 2 Months, MRI, Lyme Tests, Xrays all clear

My dog has started limping the beginning of this past July. She doesn't show pain or wince, still walks on the leg but is significantly lame on her right front leg. We have brought her to 7 different Vets including 2 neurologists and an orthopedic vet and no one can explain her limp. She did not injure herself when she started limping, just woke up one day and had a limp that progressively has gotten worse. She's been on Rimadyl, Dermamaxx, and is now on Gabapentin and some other pain pill that starts with an A and still does not get better. We brought her to Tufts in mass and she had an MRI and it came back clear because one neurologist suspect syringomyelia and the other thought it must be a disc in her neck. Nothing, it was all clear. They also did a spinal tap to see if it's Meningitis and that came back clear too. She's had 2 Lyme tests that all came back negative. Xrays on her leg that also came back clear. We have spent thousands of dollars and have gotten nowhere and the poor dog is still limping. The other day I was cradling her in my arms like a baby rubbing her belly and all of a sudden she started howling in pain and went to the floor and her right hind leg almost looked like it was dislocated. She couldn't walk for about 5 mins but then was fine and has not shown pain since. She passes every physical exam and never gives any consistent signals as to to what is paining her to the vets. I'm frustrated with Vets and am worried about my dog so thought maybe someone else has experienced this and might have insight as to what is going on with her. We've spent so much money and the poor dog has not gotten better. Please anyone that can help?
 
Welcome to the board, though I am so sorry you have come with such a baffling situation. You seem to have so far tried all the things that would be the possible issues that would come to mind for me.

I hope others here might have some helpful ideas.

Though she has had an MRI that came back clear for SM, I wonder could this possibly be CM? The malformation alone is known to cause mild to severe neurological problems and pain for some dogs, though generally gabapentin and a CSF inhibitor like cietidine would help. What is the dosage of gabapentin that you have tried?
 
Me and Merlin are also experiencing a front right leg problem similar to yours.

He has been tested and has no Syringomyelia (thank goodness), however his MRI scan did show he has mild Chiari Malformation. They think this is the possible cause of his front right leg. He limps when he walks, limps even more severely when he tries to run, sometimes he'll start yelping and his right leg will extend out to the side and stiffen, and sometimes his leg will buckle and extend so quickly that he just falls over to the side. I soothe him gently, rub his leg and body and within about 20 seconds his leg will relax and lower back to normal again.

Merlin is yelping a lot at the moment, when he gets up, when he walks, when he jumps out of the car, we've had full examinations and he's definately not hurt his leg in anyway (there no damage, sprain, break or torn ligaments) so we are left with it being symptoms of the Chiari Malformation.

Saying this he's on Metacam every morning, and 100mg of Gabapentin twice a day, this has not helped his limping in anyway, nor has it stopped his yelping. Therefore we are still progressing further with out vets and Neurologist. So far we have spent of £1600 and still none the wiser really (thank goodness we have insurance)
 
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