[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by thelittleyorkie

I'm not really sure that it's a good idea to pay $1800 for a pup that has a luxating patella.

Taken from this website:

Knee Problems In Your Dog - Patellar Luxation - Luxating Patella

Grade 2

Grade II pets have less stable knees. The kneecap can be massaged back into its groove - but it pops back out again once the knee is manually flexed or after the pet has taken a few steps. With time, many of these pets will develop knee pain and arthritis associated with their problem.

If your pet only suffers from a grade 1 condition, it should do fine without surgery. However, the higher the grade, the more likely your pet is to eventually develop arthritis in the knee leading to pain. We cannot predict which pets will develop painful knees in grade 2. The problem with delaying surgery in these pets is that arthritis, once it occurs, is irreversible. I am inclined to suggest lateral collateral ligament reinforcement to my clients with young-to-middle age pets in this situation to avoid this. This is because collateral ligament surgery in your pet is a relatively non-intrusive, safe surgery. It is often successful and does not preclude more extensive surgery later if it does not solve the problem.

No.

I do not believe that pets that limp only occasionally (grade 1) need surgery. Grade 2 pets are a harder decision. They probably do not need surgery either. Just feed them a balanced diet, keep them lean, keep their toenails trimmed short. Give them a chondrotin/glucosamine supplements if you wish. If you do elect surgery for these pets, there are minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques that you might consider.



Has she given you the name of the vet that she is recommending for the surgery? Perhaps you could look him/her up or call the office to see how experienced they are with luxating patella surgery. $350 is super cheap.

They will develop arthritis with our without the surgery.