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05-28-2011, 01:10 PM | #1 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Crofton, MD, USA
Posts: 1,522
| Nala has Luxating Patellas :( We went for our yearly checkup today, and our vet was sick. The new vet checked Nala's knees and said Nala has LP One leg, of course now I forget which one, is worse than the other. She said if we wanted to we could take her to a surgeon to see if they recommend surgery. On the "report card" she also said there was arthritis?! Nala is my sled dog walker, who will walk 4 miles and then some. I've never noticed her limping until we walked today and she lifted her leg during a few steps. It only happened on one of our short walks. Could that be from the vet manipulating it? During all of our walks, and all of her rough play I've NEVER seen her limp. I went to the dog food store to get some glucosamine and chondroitinnbut it's a dose for previously injured dogs or dogs over 7, is this her now? She's only 2. The vet also said I don't have to restrict her movement, is this true? I hate questioning the vet, but it's not my normal vet. Last, should I monitor what she eats more. She's not fat at all, but she has a lot of muscle. I know carrying more weight is harder on the joints, but I don't want her to lose muscle mass because she's in amazing shape. Thanks for all your help. Poor Nala girl |
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05-28-2011, 01:19 PM | #2 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Crofton, MD, USA
Posts: 1,522
| anyone? |
05-28-2011, 02:34 PM | #3 |
Donating YT 30K Club Member | I always worry when the vets manipulate their back legs to check for LP. It seems like it would make then worse but I guess they know what their doing. Maybe for piece of mind call your regular vet and get their opinion. I am not sure on the dosing of the glucosamine. Since all of mine have some degree of LP and one had surgery, I do not let them jump up or down off the furniture. I use steps and ramps. I hope Nala's limping goes away after a little rest.
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05-28-2011, 02:47 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MD
Posts: 10,908
| Lauren, Did your vet do any type of xrays? Nala is definitely an active little one so if she were seriously hurting you would know it. If it would give you some peace of mind, I would recommend going to the surgeon in Annapolis for a consult and xrays. If your vet does this, the specialist will want to take some of his own so you can just bypass the cost at your own vets office. Hot Rod had his surgery done there and we (and several friends of mine) had Dr. Prostredney (not sure of the spelling of his name) but I can definitely recommend him. He is board certified and has a rescue yorkie himself. I believe that consult visit is $120.00 and not sure if xrays are included in this fee or not. Did your vet talk with you about Cosequin or Dasuquin? These supplements are probably good ones to start Nala on. Dasuquin helps to build cartiledge in the knees. Just because Nala has lp does not necessarily mean that she needs surgery. I would consult with a surgeon before making any decision. Maggie May has low grade 2 in both of her knees and you would never know it. She runs, jumps and stands all the time. She will walk on her hinds trying to get at birds. lol It might give you some peace of mind to take her there for a second opinion...I really like him and I know of 4 people who have taken their dogs to him. Hope Nala starts to feel better.
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05-29-2011, 06:20 AM | #5 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Crofton, MD, USA
Posts: 1,522
| I talked to one of the vet techs and she said to leave a message for my vet to call and she if she can see Nala. I'll take her to the surgeon in Annap too and see what he says. She's never limped just on our walk an hour or two after the manipulation. I'm just worried that she has arthritis because it says it on the report card but the vet who saw her never said that to me Would a regular vet be able to tell if they have arthritis? She didn't take any x-rays or tell me the grade of the lp. I'm really worried that she has arthritis and she's been hurting and I haven't noticed. |
05-29-2011, 11:41 AM | #6 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,451
| A vet cannot diagnose arthritis without an xray. As for LP, a lot of dogs have it and it does not always require surgery. It is always good to have your pup seen by a board certified orthopedic surgeon just to be sure. As for an exam irritating a knee, sure it could especially if the knee already has issues, but that would be temporary and certainly will not cause lasting damage. Good luck with the second opinion!
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05-29-2011, 12:15 PM | #7 |
Gidget & Sidney's Mom Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: PA
Posts: 3,462
| My little Cricket had LP. I agree with Patti, when the vet manipulates them it seems to make them worse for a day or so. She lived all of her life w/o needing surgery. Now she did get arthritis early in the "knees" of the back legs, but the vet said even w surgery, arthritis tends to hit early in the legs w the LP. We were told to watch her weight and limit jumping onto furniture. We bought steps for her. He also gave her Glucosamine Chondroitin to take daily, which seemed to help.
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05-29-2011, 12:45 PM | #8 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Crofton, MD, USA
Posts: 1,522
| You guys are making me feel so much better. I already got the Zuke's treats with glucosamine and chondroitin in them for Nala and she loves them. I also got the higher dose liver pills, but I'm waiting until I talk to my vet on Tuesday to see how much to give her. Why would the vet who saw her say she had arthritis then.... I'm so mad...grrr!! She didn't do, or even suggest an x-ray. It was Britster who told me to get the treats with the glucosamine and chondroitin, not even the vet who I saw....double grr!! I can't wait to talk to my real vet! |
05-29-2011, 01:51 PM | #9 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,451
| Don't be mad. I am guessing it was an educated guess on the part of the vet ... arthritis does occur with LP.
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05-29-2011, 02:59 PM | #10 |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | I'll add my two cents worth in. Arthritis shouldn't be diagnosed without an Xray, and then ideally be diagnosed by a specialist. The supplements mentioned above are all fine, you just need to be sure of the dosing. I add supplements into their food, so I know how much they are getting, versus using a "treat" with a supplement adder. Swimming is all around the best exercise for LP or for that matter any arthritic/compromised joints. With my large breed swimming is a major component of their wkly exercise regimen. With small dogs like Yorkies you have so many easy options, the bathtub, a kiddy pool deep enough that the dog might swim, and if you go all out get two, one shallow so that you walk the dog through the water, and one deep so they have to swim to the other side. I believe it best to get a board certified ortho vet in on a consult. Let them do the Xrays the palpation, and then see what they have to say. Best of luck with your girl. Let us/me know how it goes.
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05-29-2011, 06:38 PM | #11 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| I would get a second opinion. I've gotten 3 different answers from 3 different vets on the same dog, unless they give it a grade, no one knows what they're talking about. Hoping for the best...
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05-30-2011, 05:24 AM | #12 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| I wouldn't be too upset about the vet not recommending glucosamine. Not all vets believe it works. I know a vet who does ortho surgery that swears it does no real good. Of course there are many vets and owners who think it does. Difference of opinion and based on what a vet or owner sees or think they see. Ellie has LP also. It's pretty significant, but she doesn't carry her leg or appear to be in pain from it, so surgical correction isn't in the picture right now.
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05-30-2011, 05:27 AM | #13 | |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,451
| Quote:
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05-31-2011, 09:26 AM | #14 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Van Alstyne, TX
Posts: 842
| My little Maggie has LP also. We found out after the dogs were playing real hard in the back yard and she yelped and holding one of her rear legs up and walking on 3 legs. We thought she just sprained it but on the 3rd day we knew something was up and took her to the vet. He said she has grade 3 LP in both rear legs and MIGHT need surgery. He gave her an injection and some pills to go home with. We were told to keep her calm for a couple weeks and we'd have to reevaluate her then. She is doing very well now. You wouldn't know anything was wrong. It has been right at 2 weeks now. We will hold off on surgery for now unless she continues to have problems. We're keeping our fingers crossed. I hope your baby does fine and won't end up needing surgery. I know this is very common in this breed, and some other small breeds. |
06-03-2011, 04:27 PM | #15 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: colorado springs, co, usa
Posts: 380
| My Bently just had surgery for LP Bently, 3 yrs old, just had surgery on both back legs for LP yesterday. I got a 2nd opinion before the surgery. Both vets recommended it now before it got worse. He had stage 3. The surgeon told me after the surgery that both his knees were really bad. He had only had two times that his knee popped out and had to be manipulated back in the last time. He is doing great today..... sleeping beside me most of the time. Little crying when he is awake. I opted to do both knees to save about 1500.00. |
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