What would you do if your trusted vet said...

I would go with your long-time vet.  Experience is worth more than gold.  I'm always hesitant to say things with 100% certainty, things could go wrong.  

First, the specialist shouldn't cost TOO much more and may even cost less for the actual proceedure (pre and post op work is where a specialist typically "gets" you).

I'd absolutely go to the specialist. I've told this story before but it's worth retelling here. I had a dog get hung up on a fence - x-rays showed a floating bone chip in the foot that got hung. My vet said it needed to come out. She also said, "If this were not a performance dog I'd go ahead and try this, but there's a chance, frankly, that I could do it just a bit wrong and she could end up with just a tiny hitch in her step - nothing you'd ever see unless she were performing split second turns and running full speed, but that's exactly what she does all the time."

So we went to the orthopaedist. He looked at the films we brought and started laughing. "Dr. _____, bless her, I'm really glad she knows when to get a second opinion!" Apparently the "bone chip" was something normal and Trim didn't need to have risky surgery after all. I didn't know whether to cry or laugh - and I did both all the way home.

He also only charged us about $60 for the office visit. Pretty cheap for five minutes that probably saved Trim's working career.

This is in no way meant to denigrate regular vets, but I love the vets who know when they are out of their league and make use of the network of specialists that is out there.

It really depends on how much you trust your vet. In a situation where the injury is in one spot (and it sounds like your dogs is), I don't think it would offend your vet if you asked to see a specialist.

Would you let your general practitioner doctor perform laser surgery on your eyes?
 
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ORIGINAL: swamper

I would go with your long-time vet.  Experience is worth more than gold.    

Yes, experience is key. If you want someone experienced with elbow joints you go to a specialist. The very fact that he said "I think so" is telling.

Specialist definitely. Money is always a factor but your regular vet could end up costing more if there are complications, follow up surgeries, etc. because it wasn't done correctly the first time.

I agree with the specialist. I would not, by any means, stop using or trusting the regular vet, but some things are tricky, and better left to people who do it every day.

I'd go with the specialist, too.  JMHO

I would at least get an opinion and talk to a specialist. Then you can decide what you feel would be best.

Talk to your trusted vet about seeing a specialist. He might have a referral. You can always just offer, "Do you think we should go to a specialist?" and see what he says. If he's saying "I think so" he might be more comfortable referring you to someone else anyway.

I tend not to like 'specialists' -- but I also don't like to push my own practitoner beyond what they truly are comfortable doing.
 
If it were ME, I'd call Dr. So and So and either ask them to CALL me or I'd go in and ask for an office appt just to TALK to them.  Then I'd ask them point blank how truly comfortable they are about it.  "I trust your judgement - I know you've done a lot of stuff LIKE this, but is it something you actually want to try or would you honestly rather I'd go to a specialist.  I don't want to spend money needlessly, and he's comfortable with you and I know he won't be traumatized here --  but neither do I want to push you into something you really aren't thrilled about doing.  So be honest and tell me what you think I oughta do."

I would wait to see what the results of the xrays were and than discuss with my vet the decision.  The xrays may show something he may feel more confident in performing or it may show something he feels should be handled by someone with more experience in that area.
Good Luck

Having been in that situation, I say go with the specialist. The M had some growths on his tongue which our vet diagonesed as viral papilloma, until they kept breaking off and regrowing. In our conversations he made a couple of comments about removing/biopsiying which made me think he hadn't done that type of procedure on a tongue before. We ended up asking for a referral to MSU and had a derm specialist do the biopsy. While I trust our vet, I wasn't comfortable with him not having done this very often, so we opted for the specialist.

I wouldn't distrust your longtime vet but I would get a specialist's opinion.
 
Twice I would have saved a lot of money if I hadn't completely trusted my vet and one of those times I almost lost a pup. Specialist forthwith.