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There is always that possibility that the gastrocs pain is the red herring. As David suggested, an US of the region might help you make that decision.

Yes, back pain could cause one sided lameness - especially if there is a pinched nerve.

While an MRI can't tell you where things hurt - maybe it would show you an osteophyte, nerve root compression, dynamic lumbosacral dic disease... But only if it correlates with physical findings.

I wish I could get my hands on the dog. If you can have Deb Nook follow this case, I think she sounds like a valuable resource to piece it all together. My gut says to give that a try...

Laurie

Thanks. She had an MRI yesterday and they did from her thoracic spine all the way down to her gastrocs and everything in between. They found absolutely nothing at all bar a slightly enlarged L popliteal LN! Spine and all muscles look totally clean. So good news, but not giving me any help. She went back to Deb today for more needles and was still crying when they went into her back.

So the MRI suggests we are dealing with non-specific back pain, and not a primary stifle/gastroc issue.... which is good news in that there is no evidence of permanent damage. Is there a clinical response to the dry needling? Is there a local twitch response, or just the vocalizations?

FWIW, for cases similar to this, I do sometimes get lucky with dry needling deeply b/w the wing of the ilium and the L7-S1 region, even if I cannot palpate an mfTP. By "lucky", I mean that there is a big jump and obvious immediate clinical improvement following treatment.

Hi David,
Thanks for your input. Yes twitch response as well as bent needles when they come out. I will pass on your suggestion I think she might be improving a little, but there is still quite a big difference when doing exercises such as motor control and timing with RH standing
Kriszty

Maybe also try some fascial work along that side as well - along the L/S, over the SIJ, into the piriformis...
Worth a try!

Laurie

My thoughts:

1) Very feasible
2) Less likely to be useful. In broad strokes, this is either a medical or surgical condition. Given the minor symptoms displayed, surgery would be overkill. Therefore I would treat it medically, and only consider future MRI if the medical treatment fails to yield an improvement.
3) If the person doing the dry needling is getting results, I would follow her advice and see where that ends up... and then re-evaluate if that is somewhere less than a complete response.

Hi Laurie and David,
Thought I would post a quick update- so far so good! She is back in work and running well. No more off weighting. Fingers crossed it stays like that!
Thanks for your help

Hooray! Best wishes for continuance of wellbeing!

Laurie