Quote:
Originally Posted by ladyjane  What do his front legs have to do with his knees?
And, pain is not the only measurement....these pups start limping and not using their leg when the LP is really getting worse. Not ALL LPs progress that far!
Honestly, they will get arthritis anyway. Yes, a board certified orthopedic vet is always the way to go.
Was the vet she went to board certified? I have a vet here who has performed surgery in some really BAD cases...and successfully. I have a pup who had a genetic problem in both hind legs....and his knee was literally backwards in one leg. I went to an ortho vet who told me that his knees were inoperable....went to a board cert. vet who FIXED his knee! So...always a second opinion!
I do find it hard to believe that a pup could be ignored by a vet for that long. Signs indicating surgery show up LONG before the knees are that bad.
Is this person who owns this maltese is anywhere near the Houston area, I would be happy to share this vet's name ... he is wonderful! I have seen other surgeries by him that were amazing. |
Compensating for the bad knees puts abnormal stress on other joints which cause arthritic changes.
I believe bow legs are a fairly common side effect of severely luxated patellas:
If both legs are affected, the dog may adopt a crouched gait and posture, appear bow legged and may even walk on the forelegs with the hind legs completely off the ground. Luxating patella - a knee cap problem in dogs | Vetwest Animal Hospitals •Grade IV. The patella cannot be replaced manually, and the leg is carried or used in a crouching position. Extension of the stifle is virtually impossible. Tibial rotation is quite severe, resulting in a "bow legged" appearance. Patellar Luxation in Small Breed Dogs Teri Dickinson, DVM Luxated patellas or "slipped stifles" are a common orthopedic problem in small dogs. A study of 542 affected individuals revealed that dogs classified as small (adult weight 9 kg (20 lbs) or l
She is on the East coast, but I believe she has found an excellent orthopedic vet. In case I confused you, it's not the LP surgery that would be difficult, it's the severely bowed legs from arthritis that would be difficult and very costly to correct at this point.
20/20 hindsight, she wishes she had consulted an orthopedic vet much earlier instead of waiting until he developed pain.
That was the point I was trying to make, that it is important to have the knees evaluated by a board certified orthopedic vet once your regular vet has made a diagnosis of luxating patellas. They are the most qualified to diagnose and prescribe treatment based on your dog's particular case.