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Old 05-14-2014, 07:17 AM   #1
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Question Luxating Patella, grade 3, < 1 year old

Hey guys,

I have done some searching but still have a few questions. We have 2 yorkie dogs, both 10 months old (roughly). One has been lifting her back leg since Sunday, she was running around all day and playing, then just laid down!

We took her to the vet on Monday morning as it didn't seem to be getting any better. The vet told us its LP and possibly a stage 3. We are getting a second opinion tomorrow afternoon, for now she is on meds and strict rest.

We have 2 dogs as mentioned and of course one wants to play with the other. When we separate them they bark and cry like crazy, so we've had success leaving the crate open and she just lays down while he plays around a little, then goes in with her.

My questions are:

1. Is 10 months too young to even think of surgery?
2. If we do the surgery how will we keep them separated for a month+?
3. Is there anything we should ask the 2nd vet tomorrow specifically?

I appreciate any/all help!

Matt
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Old 05-14-2014, 08:10 AM   #2
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Hi Matt - WELCOME to YT ! Glad you found us. My Wylie went through LP a little over a year ago and does just amazing - you'd never know he had the surgery. Knock on wood.

As far as age - I'd let your vets / specialists guide you in that matter - I can't really speak to whether it'd be best to wait or not. You generally don't want to wait toooo long when it's a Grade 3 that also has symptoms, but again, I'd speak at length w/ your vets about this aspect.

As far as separation, we have 2 other yorkies and we didn't keep them separated at all. Wylie was encouraged to be mobile and walk around - just no fetching / fast running etc for a good while. So, you may not have to keep them separated, it may just be a matter of figuring out how to avoid running for a while.

For what to ask the vet, I'd ask about the recovery - get a really clear picture of what's to be expected both the first several days (very different than later) vs after that. Also, will you be doing BOTH knees or just one? We did both Wylie's knees at one time, and I'm so glad I went that route vs 1 at a time. Ask perhaps what happens if the surgery doesn't go well afterward, what would revisions cost if needed. Ask about chances of arthritis so you're clear on that front. Make sure there is a good pain management plan for afterward -- especially including what is the plan after hours if pain is NOT being managed - what should you do then (most vets will tell you how you should increase the dose properly if meds aren't working at current dose).

I hope it goes well for your kiddo - and please keep us posted!
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Old 05-14-2014, 09:49 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by car2bike View Post
Hey guys,

I have done some searching but still have a few questions. We have 2 yorkie dogs, both 10 months old (roughly). One has been lifting her back leg since Sunday, she was running around all day and playing, then just laid down!

We took her to the vet on Monday morning as it didn't seem to be getting any better. The vet told us its LP and possibly a stage 3. We are getting a second opinion tomorrow afternoon, for now she is on meds and strict rest.

We have 2 dogs as mentioned and of course one wants to play with the other. When we separate them they bark and cry like crazy, so we've had success leaving the crate open and she just lays down while he plays around a little, then goes in with her.

My questions are:

1. Is 10 months too young to even think of surgery?
2. If we do the surgery how will we keep them separated for a month+?
3. Is there anything we should ask the 2nd vet tomorrow specifically?

I appreciate any/all help!

Matt
Our Bella had the surgery at just a little over a year of age. She is still in the process of recuperating. Your first question would be a good one to ask an orthopedic surgeon who has experience doing this kind of surgery. Once the surgery is done, you will have to confine the dog who was operated on to its crate or ex-pen for most of the time. That's pretty much non-negotiable, so you will have to come up with creative ways of dealing with that. Maybe get the two dogs accustomed to being separated, with one in the crate, and one outside the crate? Also, the dog cannot be allowed to lick or bite the incision until after the stitches come out--that will require vigilance on your part, and/or the use of an e-collar.

Ask the second vet for a referral to a good orthopedic surgeon who has experience with this kind of surgery. Ask about the costs and benefits of waiting until the dog is older before getting the surgery done. My surgeon said I had a year or two to make the decision before arthritis set in, but your surgeon may tell you differently.

Our Bella has luxating Patella in both legs, but it was much worse in one leg than the other, so we had only one leg operated on. The surgeon said that the other leg may never get to the stage where it will require surgery. Each dog is different.
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Old 05-19-2014, 07:13 AM   #4
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https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/patellar-luxations
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Old 05-20-2014, 04:37 PM   #5
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Our surgeon didn't recommend confining Buster all of the time. He wanted Buster to put weight on the leg. We took him out to potty on a leash so that he wouldn't chase the birds or run after our other Yorkie. We didn't keep the two separated unless we weren't home. Since they are both used to sleeping with us, guess who slept on the floor?! If you guessed me, you are correct! We were extra careful that Buster was contained enough that he could not run when Maggie was running, other than that, they weren't really separated.
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Old 06-04-2014, 05:01 AM   #6
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Default Quick Update

Thanks all for the information and personal experience.

We took Mia in for a second opinion and while it was certain she had slid her kneecap out of place we were told its less severe. They had us STOP the opium-like drug and switched to Metacam for 10 days. She's been off meds for over a week now and plays as usual, though we noticed she doesn't run as hard. Not sure if thats because its painful (impossible to tell, though no limping) or she is just scared to pull it again. Either way we are monitoring her and will see how this goes.

While not a vet I think she pulled something from running all day (Sunday BBQ at home) and the first vet sent us right to "Worst case scenario" with no real explanation.

I'll let you know how the fur baby is in a bit, though her brother (Micah) is quite happy to see her playful and active again, as are we!

Matt
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Old 06-04-2014, 05:27 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by car2bike View Post
Thanks all for the information and personal experience.

We took Mia in for a second opinion and while it was certain she had slid her kneecap out of place we were told its less severe. They had us STOP the opium-like drug and switched to Metacam for 10 days. She's been off meds for over a week now and plays as usual, though we noticed she doesn't run as hard. Not sure if thats because its painful (impossible to tell, though no limping) or she is just scared to pull it again. Either way we are monitoring her and will see how this goes.

While not a vet I think she pulled something from running all day (Sunday BBQ at home) and the first vet sent us right to "Worst case scenario" with no real explanation.

I'll let you know how the fur baby is in a bit, though her brother (Micah) is quite happy to see her playful and active again, as are we!

Matt
Thanks for the update! Keep us posted...
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Old 06-09-2014, 12:48 AM   #8
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Matt, thanks for posting this. I hope you don't mind if I chime in here and ask some questions. My little guy was just diagnosed with LP in both back legs. I'm told since he's so small at 4 lbs, 2 years old, he doesn't need surgery yet. I'm going back to the vet to ask more questions once I learn a bit about what LP is. I'm wondering if anyone has used any joint supplements or walking at an incline to strengthen? Is that even an option at this point? I wonder how vets can estimate how long he will have before arthritis sets in? As I said, he's 2 years old.

Also, can anyone recommend a good pet insurance company that will cover this? Technically it hasn't been documented yet.

Matt, best of luck with your baby. This is a tough thing for these little pups to go through.
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Old 06-09-2014, 05:17 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by octobersongs View Post
Matt, thanks for posting this. I hope you don't mind if I chime in here and ask some questions. My little guy was just diagnosed with LP in both back legs. I'm told since he's so small at 4 lbs, 2 years old, he doesn't need surgery yet. I'm going back to the vet to ask more questions once I learn a bit about what LP is. I'm wondering if anyone has used any joint supplements or walking at an incline to strengthen? Is that even an option at this point? I wonder how vets can estimate how long he will have before arthritis sets in? As I said, he's 2 years old.

Also, can anyone recommend a good pet insurance company that will cover this? Technically it hasn't been documented yet.

Matt, best of luck with your baby. This is a tough thing for these little pups to go through.
We've never tried joint supplements for Bella. Walking an incline might strengthen the muscles a bit, but it probably won't fix the luxating patella since that's a congenital defect, and excessive exercise could make things worse. I would maintain normal activity and keep a close eye on him to see if he is limping or keeping one leg in the air more often. You might also want to take him to an orthopedic specialist if you feel your vet is not answering all of your questions to your satisfaction.
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Old 06-13-2014, 03:17 PM   #10
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We have since taken Mia off the Metacam, let her play as normal and noticed a few things.

1. She doesn't run "balls to the wall" like she used to, but still active.
2. She lays down sometimes after playing but then gets up and is fine.

Not sure if these are warning signs but will be monitoring closely. We were also recommended a joint supplement and minor exercise but honestly that seems like a REALLY bad idea so we're just keeping her normal.

@octobersongs — Hope your little guy gets better!!

Thanks!
Matt
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Old 09-22-2015, 03:32 PM   #11
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I really appreciate the input this community provided so quickly. Thanks to the links and first-hand knowledge we were able to make some informed decisions. Its been well over a year now and (not so little) Mia is doing well. I know in her mind she knows certain actions can cause issues, like running full out in the yard or sliding back and forth on the floors.

However overall she has been healthy and as of right now, no corrective surgery was required. We just keep an eye on any warning signs and have an Advil-like medicine to give if she pulls it to reduce the swelling.

Matt
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