would you do lp surgery?
 

Taz is a year and a half. He started doing the little skip with his back leg about a year ago. I hate seeing him walk because he has a constant skip. He runs and jumps like crazy, it just seems to skip (or I notice it) only when he walks. I do not know what the grade is for his lp, but the vet did recomend surgery and I have made an appointment for next Tuesday. I still am confused about whether to do it or not. It seems like when he walks it does pop out quite a bit, but always goes right back in, but to me it seems like if it keeps doing that it would eventually get arthridic and then be worse, so better to fix it now, but when I read about grades of lp 1 says it can be moved out but will go back in place. Taz's seems to go back in place. What would you do? I do have it scheduled with an orthopedic surgeon.

i'm glad to see you are seeing an orthopedic surgeon- if i was getting it done for Layla that would be a MUST. I've read a lot on here that if they are young and it is bothering them- it is better to just do it. He will recover quickly due to his age but make sure you schedule it for a time that you are able to be with him and watch him. Let us know how the appointment goes!

I have been there. Roxy always had this 'skip' and I thought it was soooooooooo cute, well....little did I know that this skip is not normal or cute, that this was her patellas luxating - poor baby

I had her evaluated by 2 different Ortho Surgeons. Both agreed that one leg was a Grade 2 and the other was more than Grade 2 but not quite Grade 3. They both went through the surgery produce and the important *heal* time. So now it was up to me what and when. Well, that didn't last long, b/c the skip turned into a limp and or carrying of one of her legs. That's when I knew we needed to get her into surgery. I won't lie, surgery was rough. I had both legs done at the same time and the heal time is very important.

Now, even though I did have an Cert Ortho Surgeon do the surgery, her legs luxated again. The left leg started at her 6 week check up and the right leg started about 6 months later. This happened, b/c when the surgeon was "in" her legs, she felt that b/c Roxy has a slight curvature to her leg bone structure, that she could only deepen the groves and tighten the ligaments, and she truly felt this would be satisfactory. Roxy has had her left leg repaired, this time with the breaking, repositioning and pin in place (which, with Roxy's luck, the pin did migrate and that had to be removed as well) :(
Anyway, that leg is good now. I am still on the fence as to repair her other leg, b/c we now know that Roxy also has liver issues, and I am scared to put her back under again. We'll see what happens. I am supplementing her and I haven't noticed any 'funny' stuff with that leg, so she may be ok for now.

I am also here if you want to talk :)

thanks, I am going to go today and get a second opinion. I just want to make sure I do the right thing. I hate to put him through surgery, but I hate seeing him skip on that leg.

Yes, I will one day need Tucker to have LP surgery. He was diagnosed after an injury but the vet said it was pretty slight at this time and that she would wait to do the surgery if/when it progresses. I'm not looking forward to it but it will be the best thing for my baby.

Surgery for a grade 3 is usually the norm. My Zada had both her knees done at the same time. Like Marci said, make sure you have plenty of time to take care of him afterwards. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal and he cannot be running around or there will be worse damage.