Luxating patella advice please

[GAOMariposa]

Hello everyone. I took my babies to a new vet today and I was told Olivia, who's 1 year old has grade 3 luxating patell on the right and grade 2 in the left. He recommended I speak to an orthopedic vet about possibly getting them repaired. I'm really freaking out right now since this was something I never thought I'd have to deal with, especially in a one year old. Would surgery at this early age be the best option? I would love to hear any advice from people who have gone through this, please. I'm on the verge of tears. ;(

[capt_noonie]

Uni was diagnosed around age 3 with LP grade 2/3 in both knees. Personally I feel that surgery should be a last resort and only when the dog starts to go lame. there are many dogs with grade 4 that do not get surgery that have lived out their lives just fine.

That being said, a young dog will recover from the surgery faster than an older one. Keep in mind the recovery time is about 8 weeks of crate rest, and most likely the surgeon will do one knee, then after it's healed, the other. It's a long and expensive process.

Also keep in mind, a lot of vets try to push surgery. Mine did the same. You want to talk with a specialist and have then do the surgery, not your regular vet.

Has your yorkie been lifting or hiking her leg, favoring one over the other? Usually they will run on three legs. that is a sure sign it is bothering them. Many people will say it seems like the dog is in no pain, but if the dog is lifting the leg it obvious is bothering them. Dogs are programmed to hide pain.

[GAOMariposa]

Thank you for your reply. She's not showing any signs that she's in pain. I've never seen her hike her leg ever. She's super active, goes up and down the stairs with no problems. That's why is so surprising to be told she has any issues with her legs. Her new vet wants to send her to an orthopedic specialist but I am not sure if I want to subject her to a surgery that may not be necessary right now. Maybe in a future if I see her having issues?

[Ashla]

My pup is picking up her leg too and she's only 1 since May She's due to get her booster shots in a week or two so I'm going to get her checked up then. Hopefully it isn't too bad...

Good luck with your little pup!

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by GAOMariposa

Thank you for your reply. She's not showing any signs that she's in pain. I've never seen her hike her leg ever. She's super active, goes up and down the stairs with no problems. That's why is so surprising to be told she has any issues with her legs. Her new vet wants to send her to an orthopedic specialist but I am not sure if I want to subject her to a surgery that may not be necessary right now. Maybe in a future if I see her having issues?

If she's not hiking then I wouldn't worry. Keep her weight on the lower end of healthy to keep pressure off without the extra weight. Uni is 8 now and still doesn't hike. She's only done it once when she was about 3. We took her to the beach and she was running in the sand. The next day she wouldn't go down the stairs. I took her to the vet and they diagnosed LP.

Originally Posted by Ashla

My pup is picking up her leg too and she's only 1 since May She's due to get her booster shots in a week or two so I'm going to get her checked up then. Hopefully it isn't too bad...

Good luck with your little pup!

If she's hiking and only 1 I would def talk with a specialist. Get xrays.

[GAOMariposa]

Originally Posted by Ashla

My pup is picking up her leg too and she's only 1 since May She's due to get her booster shots in a week or two so I'm going to get her checked up then. Hopefully it isn't too bad...

Good luck with your little pup!

Thank you. Good luck with your baby. Mine isn't hiking her leg though. She's 100% fine walking, running, going up and down stairs, etc.

[GAOMariposa]

[QUOTE=capt_noonie;4584943]If she's not hiking then I wouldn't worry. Keep her weight on the lower end of healthy to keep pressure off without the extra weight. Uni is 8 now and still doesn't hike. She's only done it once when she was about 3. We took her to the beach and she was running in the sand. The next day she wouldn't go down the stairs. I took her to the vet and they diagnosed LP.



Thank you so much for your advice. I'm so glad to see that she doesn't need to go through such an intense surgery just yet. I don't want to submit her to anything that big so wary on. You have calmed me down a lot. Thank you so much!!!!

[gemy]

Originally Posted by GAOMariposa

Hello everyone. I took my babies to a new vet today and I was told Olivia, who's 1 year old has grade 3 luxating patell on the right and grade 2 in the left. He recommended I speak to an orthopedic vet about possibly getting them repaired. I'm really freaking out right now since this was something I never thought I'd have to deal with, especially in a one year old. Would surgery at this early age be the best option? I would love to hear any advice from people who have gone through this, please. I'm on the verge of tears. ;(

First there is nothing wrong with seeing an ortho. Listen well - and then make the surgery call or not as the case might be. Usually non symptomatic Yorkies recommendation is to hold off on surgery.


Then your breeder should know this diagnosis and you ask how she is willing to help.


Surgery or not your call - but I highly recommend you do a few things starting right now. No playing fetch on wet or damp grass. No jumping off furniture. Swimming and underwater treadmill are wonderfull to keep those leg muscles strong.


Let me talk a little more about water work. If you have access to beaches and or lakes - it is wonderfull summertime enjoyment to start off walking your pup in the lake Shallow water and if you have a pebbly bottom all the better to strengthen up those ankles and also all the little intrinsic muscles of the foot.


You can use fetch and retrieve in the water to help build up cardio and it is very low impact.


To strengthen the postural leg muscles - ramp work place your dog uphill on the ramp then gently push on his upper thigh so that he has to stabilize the other side - and then reverse which thigh you press on. Only enough pressure to take the weight off the one leg and onto the other. You can use a plank a set of stairs and a yoga mat for non slip.


Use a deflated somewhat - physio ball to make your dog balance on it. Have your hands to either side of the dog - to help out with stabilization if necessary.


Stack your dog in a stand position - try to work up to a 3minute still hold or stay. Believe it or not standing properly really builds up all the postural muscles. The hind toes are underneath his rear end and the front feet drop straight down just a little in advance of the shoulder. So that when you look from the side the front legs stand straight up and down with the toes pointing straight ahead.


These are a few of the things you can do. Also talk with your vet about supplements Dasuquin has a very good reputation.

[GAOMariposa]

Originally Posted by gemy

First there is nothing wrong with seeing an ortho. Listen well - and then make the surgery call or not as the case might be. Usually non symptomatic Yorkies recommendation is to hold off on surgery.


Then your breeder should know this diagnosis and you ask how she is willing to help.


Surgery or not your call - but I highly recommend you do a few things starting right now. No playing fetch on wet or damp grass. No jumping off furniture. Swimming and underwater treadmill are wonderfull to keep those leg muscles strong.


Let me talk a little more about water work. If you have access to beaches and or lakes - it is wonderfull summertime enjoyment to start off walking your pup in the lake Shallow water and if you have a pebbly bottom all the better to strengthen up those ankles and also all the little intrinsic muscles of the foot.


You can use fetch and retrieve in the water to help build up cardio and it is very low impact.


To strengthen the postural leg muscles - ramp work place your dog uphill on the ramp then gently push on his upper thigh so that he has to stabilize the other side - and then reverse which thigh you press on. Only enough pressure to take the weight off the one leg and onto the other. You can use a plank a set of stairs and a yoga mat for non slip.


Use a deflated somewhat - physio ball to make your dog balance on it. Have your hands to either side of the dog - to help out with stabilization if necessary.


Stack your dog in a stand position - try to work up to a 3minute still hold or stay. Believe it or not standing properly really builds up all the postural muscles. The hind toes are underneath his rear end and the front feet drop straight down just a little in advance of the shoulder. So that when you look from the side the front legs stand straight up and down with the toes pointing straight ahead.


These are a few of the things you can do. Also talk with your vet about supplements Dasuquin has a very good reputation.

Wow, thank you for all of these awesome recommendations. I will definitely try them with her. We usually just play fetch in the house on carpet so hopefully that's okay. The ramp work sounds awesome. I will define toy try everything.

The contract I got from the breeder does not cover anything non life threatening. I don't think luxating patelas will kill a little one. I certainly hope not. I will see an orthopedic specialist soon when I can get a weekday off from work and see what their opinion is regarding surgery.

Thank you so much for the amazing advice.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by GAOMariposa

Wow, thank you for all of these awesome recommendations. I will definitely try them with her. We usually just play fetch in the house on carpet so hopefully that's okay. The ramp work sounds awesome. I will define toy try everything.

The contract I got from the breeder does not cover anything non life threatening. I don't think luxating patelas will kill a little one. I certainly hope not. I will see an orthopedic specialist soon when I can get a weekday off from work and see what their opinion is regarding surgery.

Thank you so much for the amazing advice.

Trust me as a breeder I would want to know about LP. And while LP is not life threatening it can be life altering. Some breeders even if the contract doesn't hold them to helping - will if you allow them to, offer to help in some way. I would wait until I got the specialists opinion and then email the breeder with their written assessment and recommendation(s).


My advice is no substitute for a trained canine physiotherapist and it goes with out saying an ortho specialist.

[GAOMariposa]

Originally Posted by gemy

Trust me as a breeder I would want to know about LP. And while LP is not life threatening it can be life altering. Some breeders even if the contract doesn't hold them to helping - will if you allow them to, offer to help in some way. I would wait until I got the specialists opinion and then email the breeder with their written assessment and recommendation(s).


My advice is no substitute for a trained canine physiotherapist and it goes with out saying an ortho specialist.

I will definetly have her vet give us the referral to the ortho specialist. I think I have a rotation at work coming up either in October or November where I will be able to take a weekday off. My other little one needs a dental, which I'm planning on doing around that time as well. I will definetly ask about any physiotherapists around the area as well. Hopefully there's one in the city. It's not a large city but if they have an orthopedic surgeon and they have a specialized dental veterinarian, I'm sure they'll have a therapist.

I just saw you're from Ontario. So is my Olivia.

[Sadie2012]

My Sadie was diagnosed with a grade 3 LP left and a grade 1 LP right at age 13 months. We had the grade 3 repaired. She occasionally has a hitch in that leg but no other problems. She had just woke up one morning and couldn't use her left leg. Long term we had to get it taken care of before she had permanent damage. We also went to an ortho. who specializes in tiny dogs.

[MKloster]

Hi All

My baby girl when for a post op (spay + 16 deciduous teeth) check up today. During the check up the vet told me she has a grade 1/almost 2 luxating patella.

She is 9 months old and 2.5lbs. She is a lazy cuddler. If I would stay in bed with her all day she wouldn't even get out of bed to pee. She LOVES to just laze and cuddle.

She has never shown me any physical signs that her leg bothers her.

Just wondering if I should be giving her joint medicine starting now and forever or should I wait until she starts showing signs?

[ironmike86]

Originally Posted by MKloster

Hi All

My baby girl when for a post op (spay + 16 deciduous teeth) check up today. During the check up the vet told me she has a grade 1/almost 2 luxating patella.

She is 9 months old and 2.5lbs. She is a lazy cuddler. If I would stay in bed with her all day she wouldn't even get out of bed to pee. She LOVES to just laze and cuddle.

She has never shown me any physical signs that her leg bothers her.

Just wondering if I should be giving her joint medicine starting now and forever or should I wait until she starts showing signs?

Alot of Yorkies get it or show signs of 1-2. Best thing to do is don't let them get overweight and dont let them jump off from high places = couch ect.Floating Kneecaps or Luxating Patella in Dogs You can see the grades here. I wouldn't worry until they show signs. But overweight is bad for dogs Not one pound but many pounds isnt good. Killing them with love.

[GAOMariposa]

Mine has a grade three and two but isn't showing any signs at all. She runs and unfortunately jumps. I try to keep her from jumping and she has pet stairs to get off and on the bed.

I hope she doesn't need surgery anytime soon. Unfortunately my work schedule is crazy for the next few months and wouldn't be able to watch her post op. Someone said they had to be in strict crate rest and if I'm not home to watch her I wouldn't want to leave her alone and risk her injuring herself more. I guess if I can leave her in a bathroom with a puppy pad that might be an option. But I guess I would discuss that with the orthopedic surgeon. I need to make an appointment for her when my schedule isn't so crazy. I can't take days off during the week for an appointment until October.

But she isn't showing any signs or anything. She's super active and does all her normal activities and doesn't seem to have pain. Hopefully it stays that way.