RE: Need Medical help.......
From Bruce S from another message board
"Not sure about dogs, but recurrent swelling in a human's joint would suggest recurrent sprain (has he had a ligamentous injury that hasn't healed with sufficient stability to prevent recurrent instability symptoms), systemic inflammatory process (gout, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. - dont' know what dogs get in that department), primary joint or bone disease (foreign body in bone/joint causing infection or cartilage injury, or an ununited fracture not seen on x-ray that acts up with increased activities), or some sort of intermittent venous obstruction (blood clot in veins above joint)?
To be essentially asymptomatic between bouts would suggest unrecognized recurrent injury, or ununited fracture, or fracture healed in poor alignment but not seen on standard x-ray views). The fact that it can do a decent workout OK, and then swell after no increased activity is a bit weird and the fact that it's been nine months since the last bout is very peculiar.
Your best bet is an MRI and/or bone scan, both of which should be available at a vet school. The MRI will show bones and marrow and ligaments and tendons, muscles,etc. and can detect disruptions or inflammatory changes. A bone scan looks like an x-ray but shows blood supply to bones and will "light up" with fractures, arthritis, etc. MRI is better but bone scan can sure help pinpoint the problem. In humans, blood tests can be helpful for gout, RA, etc (ESR, C-reactive protein, plus the usual blood chemistries), but I would think these diseases less likely.
The ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) is a standard test for inflammation and I assume they use it in dogs. Basically the test is putting some blood in a little capillary tubes and measuring how fast the blood cells settle to the bottom - blood with antibodies is heavier than that without so a higher level suggests infection or inflammation). So it's non-specific, but gets you looking in the right direction. A normal ESR and C-reactive protein pretty much rules out stuff like rheumatoid arthrits and other weird inherited inflammatory diseases, and in your case would help rule out infection in joint or bone.
Treating with anti-inflammatories will reduce symptoms but will unlikely cure any underlying problem. They are good for ongoing arthritis, aches and pains but in themselves offer no curative treatment - e.g. they are not like antibiotics treating an infection, etc. You're looking for a cause, so if you can't find a cause then chronic anti-inflammatories may be all you've got.
You should examine and compare the wrists on both sides, both during and before bouts. Is the range of motion in all planes similar? Stress the joint in a side-side fashion noting any difference or what causes pain, etc.
Not trying to play vet here but sounds like your stuck so I offer this advice."
WOW
great info there. Thanks you very much. I have an apt. at the vet tonight for another x-ray then if there is no difference between the first one and this one he is going to recommend me to Iowa state. Not sure what they are but it sounds like they are the pros. for lack of a better word.
I know the vets office does not have an MRI but Iowa state should. I think that is the route I need to be looking.