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tripsplus6 · 02-02-2012, 12:41 PM

My little 12 wk old yorkie has a severe Grade 4 Luxating Patella. I noticed something seemed a bit wrong from when she first started to stand and get around while still in the whelping box.(we have both parents). Her left rear leg seemed to sort of buckle under her a bit when she walked. As she grew this continued and she would often hold it up at her food dish but never gave any indication of discomfort. I asked the vet to check it out when I brought her for her shots at 9 weeks and he felt she had LP and referred us to a board certified orthopedic surgeon vet. We saw him last week and he did exam and xrays. He said her case is very severe, tibia is twisted, no groove for patella, but hips are fine. He said that with a severe case like this, he always sees the other leg also having some degree of LP too, but hers is fine, as are both parents. He said this makes him feel that it is not hereditary but rather is due to her positon in the uterus that caused it to form like this.(litter of 2) He sees no evidence of her being in pain at all. She is tiny at 1lb 12oz but otherwise healthy and runs around and plays. The wobbly back leg is more evident when she walks but not when running, she runs well, doesnt hop. He said that with the severity of the LP, it would be an extremely complicated and expensive surgery ($5000+) with not a good chance of being successful. He felt that we should not do anything as long as she is functional and not in pain. And that if the time came that she has pain from it, then he felt that amputation might be a better alternative than trying to fix it and putting her through such a major procedure with the low chance of success. He will see her again in 6 mos when she is then 9 mos old, unless she shows problems sooner.
Has anyone heard of this happening in utero like this? and being so severe and her so tiny as to make correction not possible? We are in Ohio and wonder if we should get other opinions and where. Also he recommended a grain free diet for high protein, and the low carb would help reduce inflammation. He doesnt feel bone supplements help.

02-02-2012, 12:41 PM	#1
tripsplus6 Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: OH Posts: 14	Severe Grade 4 LP My little 12 wk old yorkie has a severe Grade 4 Luxating Patella. I noticed something seemed a bit wrong from when she first started to stand and get around while still in the whelping box.(we have both parents). Her left rear leg seemed to sort of buckle under her a bit when she walked. As she grew this continued and she would often hold it up at her food dish but never gave any indication of discomfort. I asked the vet to check it out when I brought her for her shots at 9 weeks and he felt she had LP and referred us to a board certified orthopedic surgeon vet. We saw him last week and he did exam and xrays. He said her case is very severe, tibia is twisted, no groove for patella, but hips are fine. He said that with a severe case like this, he always sees the other leg also having some degree of LP too, but hers is fine, as are both parents. He said this makes him feel that it is not hereditary but rather is due to her positon in the uterus that caused it to form like this.(litter of 2) He sees no evidence of her being in pain at all. She is tiny at 1lb 12oz but otherwise healthy and runs around and plays. The wobbly back leg is more evident when she walks but not when running, she runs well, doesnt hop. He said that with the severity of the LP, it would be an extremely complicated and expensive surgery ($5000+) with not a good chance of being successful. He felt that we should not do anything as long as she is functional and not in pain. And that if the time came that she has pain from it, then he felt that amputation might be a better alternative than trying to fix it and putting her through such a major procedure with the low chance of success. He will see her again in 6 mos when she is then 9 mos old, unless she shows problems sooner. Has anyone heard of this happening in utero like this? and being so severe and her so tiny as to make correction not possible? We are in Ohio and wonder if we should get other opinions and where. Also he recommended a grain free diet for high protein, and the low carb would help reduce inflammation. He doesnt feel bone supplements help.