[sganow]

Maggie has grade 3 LP in both back legs. Our vet said the only way to fix it is with surgery. He did say that we can watch it over time to see how she does. She had one incident when she was playing in the yard with the other dogs where she cried and then wouldn't put one of her back legs down. The following day she still didn't put her leg down so we took her to the vet and that's when we learned she had LP. The vet gave her an injection and some pills and told us to crate her and keep her calm for a few days. It helped. She has not had any issues since then. That was almost 6 months ago. She is 2 1/2 yrs old. The vet told us if Maggie has chronic issues or is in pain, then she should have the surgery. I am sure you would get varying opinions from vets though. Some would recommend surgery right away while others will use a more conservative approach. Personally, I plan to avoid surgery unless she is in pain or continues to have problems. My dog means a LOT to me and I will get the surgery if it is absolutely necessary, but at this time I am going to hold off and keep a close eye on her. We don't use supplements, but I have considered it. The opinions vary regarding supplements also. The vet didn't seem to feel it would offer a lot of benefit, but said we could try it if we wanted to.