Buying A New Puppy With Luxating Patella
 

Please Help.

I have a 1 1/2 year old Yorkie Girl which I bought with a grade 4 luxating Patella. The person knew of this problem and did not tell me because I tracked her down to the vet who saw her the first time and it was noted. Now it has been over a year and i want to find a friend for my dog who I love so much. I will be meeting with the Vet soon to speak about my options for her. She is not lame yet but it is a grade 4 and I hope not only she can handel the surgery but also myself. This time I chose to pick a breeder that I researched. There is even info on her in Yorkie Talk and I don't want to disclose her name. I want a healthy dog this time and have paid for the dog in full, but did not get it yet. She always neuters or spayes her dags before you get them and she will have someone bring me the dog from NYC to phoenix. She told me it has a grade 1 or 2 luxating patella and that is normal. I am paying 2,100 for this dog and keep looking at his pics. she said at 16 weeks it did not have it but he probably got it from bouncing. she said this was normal and not to worry. I already have a dog with this problem. Is this normal or should I back out..Please Help before I get attached.

I recommend backing out, LP is not "normal" per-say, it is a common problem in yorkies but shouldn't be considered "normal" and you definitely shouldn't be paying 2100 for a sick dog. Normally, breeders will place pups with LP into an adoptive home that they have reviewed and acknowledged the disease and are financially and emotionally prepared to handle the problems.
I say run, run, run from this breeder.

Start at YTCA.org Read, research, and talk to several breeders in your area. Why are you dealing with this person? Sorry about your luck so far, but change it for the next pup. Buy the breeder, then the pup.

I would not knowingly accept a dog/puppy with LP when there are so many you can buy without it. LP is not a cheap fix and can be very painful for these babies

Please, don't get a dog with LP if you can help it. I bought my first two Yorkies within two months from the same breeder who shows them, and both have/had LP. I got the third one from someone who doesn't even show these dogs, and she's VERY healthy and no LP. Find a puppy closer to you so you can be on top of this and don't get a dog sight unseen anyway. Good luck with your next baby.

It's important to remember just because someone "shows" dogs does not mean that the dog is automatically healthy or worth a steep price. Best in show does not equate to best in health. Buy health over show presence.
I don't show (though my pups come from show stock and for someone wanting to show they are as good of a show potential as most others) and have one pup left for sale who has been thoroughly examined, x-rays showing no joint/knee/et al issues and the vet said the pups were "incredible healthy, excellent representations of the breed, and very fit for sale", I've had to lower the price to $600 on the boy because boys just don't sell well in my area...price doesn't equate to health.
Don't automatically think a high price means quality and a low price means non-quality. I just want to get my boy placed while young, thus the reduced price.
It's a double edged sword, some think a lower price means they aren't quality and when the price is set high people think the pup must be perfect - but a person runs the risk the pup won't sell as fast and won't find its home while young with a high price. I think it's important to talk with the breeder, exam the health records, even speak to the vet that examined the pup. I give people the vet records and phone # to the vet, welcome them to call on them.

Please consider that if you do bring home this dog you will be facing an approximate bill for $1500.00 - $3500.00 per leg to correctly fix the LP. Your dog with the grade 4 LP should get surgery perhaps in both legs as it is bilateral (usually occurs in both legs) If you do not get surgery it will lead to arthritis and pain for the dog. So please consider it for you first dog. With that is it wise to budget a second dog with the same expensive issue? Buster has LP in both back legs we just had surgery in October for the left one and down the road will possibly have to do it for the right. He is doing great after surgery but it was expensive and 4-6 weeks of confinement after. Yorkies may be predisposed to LP but is a result of improper breeding practices as reputable breeders try to breed out this genetic issues. I would reconsider.

I dind't even know what LP was (I googled it). Honestly I'd have to say no way, especially for that kind of money. If you haven't held it in your arms, I'd surely look elsewhere. There's so many around.

I rescued mine, you might look into that as well.

Good luck.

It IS hard to buy a dog sight unseeen. If I were in love with the pup, I might be willing to take on a pup with mild LP - with the understanding that it could worsen over time.

Certainly, I would not pay $2100 for a pup with such a problem. I would expect a greatly reduced price; you could put the saved money away for a possible future surgery.

Why are you even considering this
 

There are thousands of Yorkies in rescues that have absolutely nothing wrong with them that need furever homes.

By giving this breeder thousands of dollars all you are doing to helping her continue unethically breeding. She is obviously breeding just for the money not for the safety of the puppies.

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It is not NORMAL for a dog to have LP. It is however very common in toy breed dogs. While a dog with grade 1 or 2 is on the mild end of LP, it doesn't guarantee your pup won't need surgery down the road. Please ask for a refund, or baring that explain you quite simply won't take the risk of a having a dog with LP. On a good note, this breeder did disclose the condition to you. Ask for a completely healthy dog, and if she can't supply that to you, then ask for your money back

Just out of curiosity, what are the signs/symptoms of a pup with LP? Is it something they're born with or is it a condition that can develop later on as well? Poor little things :(

I absolutely agree with this post 1000%!!!!

The fact that you won't disclose the Breeder makes me even more curious.. Is that because others have had 'issues' with this breeder as well. You say you want a "healthy" yorkie this time...then why are you even considering one with 'issues'? :confused:

Their knee cap pops out of joint. When this happens, the dog could limp for a step or two, or lift up the offending leg, and hop for a couple of steps. In the mild cases the knee shortly pops back into joint.

An experienced vet can palpate your dogs knees, and do flexion and extension of the knee, to feel and listen for a telltale click. To grade the LP; it is best done by an orthopaedic specialist.

LP can happen to any dog as a result of traumatic injury, or repetitive motion in young growing bones. However it is a polygenetic condition, that can be present at birth, or evidenced shortly thereafter.

Oh thanks for answering my questions, how sad :(