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11-11-2013, 09:37 PM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NC
Posts: 137
| luxating patella Hello everyone!! I haven't been on for a while! So as some of you know I have four yorkies ( Star, Shadow, Thunder, and Lightning) now two shelties ( Tica and Mia, 6 months, newest addition) Star is at 9.5 lbs. I took her to the vet last week and she was diagnosed with a luxating patella. I have googled it, trying to find ways to make her comfortable. I have her on a diet (big change for all 6 furbutts, they were free fed) and She goes on a walk with me every morning. Is there any advice you could give me to help keep her weight in check or diet? I have tica (sheltie) on a diet because she is overweight with congestive heart failure ( devastating, I know) but when it comes to a luxating patella I know nothing. I am glad I now have a reason to keep her from being bred ( she is now scheduled to be fixed, as is her sister shadow because she is only 5 lbs, too small to be bred in my opinion, and the boys) But I just want to be comfortable in knowing she is comfortable. I don't know if this is because I know she is facing years of arthritis or the fact that my dog (tica, 14) has gone through so much and I know she is dying) But I want to make sure Im doing the right things to prevent injuries or further complications. any advice would be well appreciated. |
Welcome Guest! | |
11-12-2013, 06:44 AM | #2 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Some vets will suggest giving Cosequin. What grade LP does she have? It sounds like she may be a candidate for surgery if it's affecting her quality of life. My Wylie had LP surgery and you would never know - his knees are awesome now!
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
11-12-2013, 09:46 AM | #3 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NC
Posts: 137
| Star is only 1 yr. I don't think its effecting her quality of life.. yet. The vet did say that the right knee is worse the the left. She didn't specify on what level it is so far ( I was kind of distracted after she basically told me tica is dying and to make the rest of her life as comfortable as possible) But she did say that she shouldn't be bred because it is a genetic disorder. She also told me that it will cause arthritis further along in her life and the best bet for now is to put her on a diet because the excess weight is going to effect her. Star weighs 9.5 lbs and the vet said she should be around 6.5-7.5 and an extra pound or two to them is 20-40 to us. Any tips on the diet thing with 5 other dogs that are free fed? Ive tried the feeding in the morning and at night before bed.. but its like they wont eat.. -_- they seem to be puppycotting the diet. But at the same time my other yorkies worry me if they don't eat because I don't want their sugar to get low and I not catch it. ugh. |
11-12-2013, 09:50 AM | #4 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,631
| loss of weight and exercise are two great things. My friend had a porky yorkie she lost 3lbs and her knee stopped popping out |
11-12-2013, 10:56 AM | #5 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| You could talk to an orthopedic surgeon on what grade it is and what they think is best. Callie had LP in both knees both were a 3/4 and her ACL tore in one so we got the ACL and LP fixed at the same time and it is a rough surgery so I would only do it if she is in pain. My orthopedic surgeon recommends dasuquin and limit jumping so you might want to get stairs for anything furniture she gets on.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
11-12-2013, 11:53 AM | #6 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2013 Location: Edmonton, alberta, Canada
Posts: 30
| I am so sorry to hear these diagnoses but please don't count them out yet. My first Yorkie, Indie was diagnosed with LP at about 10 weeks old. I guess it was not severe as it only bothered her every now and then. We would be walking along and all of a sudden Indie would lift that leg and walk on 3 legs for a minute or so, I guess she was lucky because she was overweight for a few years as well. Indie was also diagnosed woth a heart murmur at 10 weeks too and then much later with CHF. I was devastated at that news and thought this was it. In fact our Vet did not want to send us home with 100 pills!!! I thought omg she isn't going to live for even 50 days?!?!? I convinced him that I wanted the full bottle of 100 pills and cried the whole way through paying the bill and driving home. Indie lived 3 years and thousands of pills later. I honestly believe that my unwillingness to let her go coupled with an amazing Vet team who listened to me when I said she wasn't going to leave me yet and then found the right med cocktail for her lengthened her days. Of course I wish she was still here every minute of every day, but I am thankful she died peacefully in her sleep in her little bed once her heart got to big for her little body. The meds Indie responded best to were Vetmedin, and then one for fluid retention, and near the end one to help her bronchial tubes stay wide open. I can find the names of those if you like but of course all dogs are different and what works for one may not work for the other. I pray that both your babies have treatable cases of both LP and the CHF. |
11-12-2013, 11:54 AM | #7 |
YT 1000 Club Member | |
11-12-2013, 06:50 PM | #8 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,631
| As mentioned it's best to consult an ortho vet. A lot of vets are like out GPs and good for the day to day |
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