I am looking for guidance regarding LP

[Patti]

Originally Posted by LIL MIS' MAGIC

While none of mine have had LP surgery, we have had other things that required "rest" - such as back issues, LP flair ups/swelling that were treated with meds/rest and most recently 6 stitches on Magic's shoulder.

What we have found is if they are not feeling well and are separated/kenneled, they are fine. What has worked best for us is to use a kennel for rest time and to have that kennel where we are.....even if that requires moving it at times. Magic is not one to stay in a kennel......but she willingly stayed in the kennel which she was recovering....maybe it is a sense of security that no one can get to them....not sure...but it has worked for us.

Good luck at the doctor.....we have you in our thoughts/prayers and are hoping for a non surgical outcome for you.

Magic and Sailor both struggle with LP in both back knees. Sailor's knee pops completely out once or twice a day....and she immediately sits. While we have been able to help hers some with weight control.....she will not walk on a leash, so she is hard to exercise as suggested (walking up hills to help build muscle). Magic shows her signs differently......more stiffness to compensate, but when hers flares up we usually have to request meds to control. Magic is alot harder to control the weight on, but does love walks, so exercise works better for hers. At one point Magic was scheduled for surgery as her meds were not giving her enough relief.....so the surgery was scheduled for the next month and she continued meds.....and thank goodness that extra med time worked and we were able to cancel the surgery.....and that was over 2 years ago now.

Pixie will not walk on a leash either so I know exercising her will be rough. What medicines do yours take for flare ups? Thanks

[MadDeDo]

I have two spayed girls with LP. My tiny girl (3.5 lbs) had a grade 4 in one of hers by 6 months of age. She couldn't walk on that leg...she held it up to run or walk all the time. It never really got her down...she could still move just as fast as the others, but not being to use the leg was a clear sign that surgery had to be done. I believe it was done at 8 months of age, a tibial transplant because it was so bad that the deepening the groove did no good. So he had to actually reform the knee entirely and use wires to hold it in place. He said that scar tissue should build up around the wires and they would never need to be removed. So far, so far, and that was over a year ago. She moves like a normal dog now, bending that knee is difficult for her because of the wires, but she can jump, run, and play with no problems. She was on bed rest and doing physical therapy for a couple months, but she came out wonderful. Now she has grade 2-3 in her other knee, but they do NOT want to do surgery on her other since she has full use of the original leg with the issue. She does not limp or skip on the other knee. She is a naturally active dog, so she has never been overweight, in fact I have to fight to KEEP weight on her. She eats like a pig but has an extremely high metabolism. So that is actually great for her.

My other girl that has it has not had surgery and is not really a candidate. She has grade 3 in both knees. Now with her, I have to watch her food intake and MAKE her exercise, she is lazy and tends to get chubby. You can truly see a HUGE difference...when she gains weight she has a lot more trouble getting around and does a lot of limping. When she is down to her ideal weight you can hardly tell that there is anything wrong with her knees. I was told to put her on a treadmill but she hates it, so instead we go for walks. She loves the park so I make it a point to drive up there at least a couple times a week and bring her and one of my others to walk for a couple miles. It has been great for her. There may come a point where they get worse and she has to have surgery, but right now they do not want to put her through it if I can keep her maintained with diet and exercise. They could do more harm than good with her, especially since she needs both knees done. I was told that the best solution is to have them both done at the same time, and buy a front carrier (one where the legs come out) and carry her everywhere with me for a month while they are healing. I was told that doing only one at a time wouldn't be good for a dog who has two bad knees, because one would be healing and all the pressure would go to the other bad one, causing it to be very painful and probably further injury. So, if I ever decide to have hers done, I will get them done together and just carry her around for a month, that way it's over and done with all at once.

You can PM with any questions, I have done a lot of research on it. I am so sorry to hear about little Pixie!

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by Patti

Thanks everyone. Pixie is overweight and most recently gained it. I am working on getting her weight off. Hopefully with that and supplements we can avoid surgery. She is getting around a little better. I really want to be able to take a wait and see approach. I will keep you posted. Thanks to all of you for your insight, and to those who have pm'd and talked to me on the phone. You have really given me a lot of great information and I am feeling more hopeful. Even if she needs the surgery, we will get through it with all your prayers and support. Thanks

y

Patti, what kind of food is Pixie eating, how much is she getting a day, and when is she getting it? Also what kind, and how many treats is she getting a day?

I know you said she doesn't walk on a leash but i think now is the time to make her walk. do any of your girls walk on a leash well? maybe if you take them with her they will see its fun to walk. Victoria stillwell uses treats on walks to get them moving. Also sometimes using certain harnesses or leads can get them going. if your other girls don't like walking maybe you can find a nearby family member or friend who has a dog that likes to walk to try to encourage pixie to get moving.

[spiritwings1202]

I am so sorry about Pixie.. Maybe taking the weight off like you said will make a difference and you can avoid surgery