Joint taps helpful or harmful to help diagnose partial cruciate

[Guest guest]

Hi, I need some opinions, please

I have a 2 year old sweet agility corgi that is toe touching on her right rear.

I diagnosed her with a cruciate based on my exam (positive anterior drawer with

snarling) and at that time she had multiple trigger points in her quadriceps.

She had muscle atrophy to both rear legs from cage confinement I started

therapy with

Leash walking

Icing

Massage

Metacam

1 week later she went to our local orthopod who felt she had a partial cruciate

and told her to stop agility forever and try more conservative therapies. He

did stifle rads and radiologist read them as basically normal but with a

possible effusion. The orthopod did not recommend an MRI due to her small size

Since then I referred her to Tops where they found a mild propioception deficit

to her rt rear and pain in lumbar area. Further rads of lumbar area and stifle

at a local practice was unremarkable. That veterinarian found her painful at

L7 and again felt there was a propioception problem.

She is currently back on Metacam, has fairly normal days and bad days. I am

working on core strengthening which is going well but she will not stand on an

exercise disk bearing weight on that limb. She has been receiving laser therapy

at local veterinary practice as well.Tick panel was negative. I will be

rechecking her next week.

Would a joint tap show inflamation if she has a partial cruciate? Would it be

risky (we plan on being very sterile). Any other diagnostic ideas?