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Originally Posted by Christinee  Also, I asked the vet if it was possible to pop it back into place and he said no because it was past that point that it could just be popped into place and would need surgery.
I will call today and ask him to explain it to me again to make sure I understood what he was saying and put it here to see if it makes sense to any of you. |
So that tells me that he probably has a Grade 4 luxated patella. That may or may not be the cause of his issue. I would think not. I wonder if he could have torn his cruciate ligament??
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Here is a link that explains the grading:
01 Medial Luxating Patella - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company! Grade I: The kneecap can be moved out of place manually but will fall back into its natural position once the manipulator lets go.
Grade 2: Same thing except that the kneecap does not move back to its normal position when the manipulator lets go. These dogs are likely to progress to arthritis development and should be considered for surgery to prevent conformational damage. There is some controversy over whether grade 2 dogs should have surgery.
Grade 3: The patella is out of place all the time but can be manipulated back into its normal position manually (though it will not stay there).
Grade 4: The patella is not only out of place all the time but cannot even be manipulated back into place by hand. Such a dog has extreme difficulty extending his knees and walks with his knees bent virtually all the time.
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I have a pup with Grade 4 LP and surgery was not suggested as he is older. Don't know how old Charlie is and I am not saying older pups are not operated on....just thinking a specialist is definitely in order.
I think the point is that it is not likely that he would have the pain he is having due to LP and again I recommend another opinion by a board certified surgeon who specializes in orthopedics. I especially would not let him operate if it is a possible torn ligament!