Snick has LP PLEASE share your experiences

[Karrie]

Originally Posted by bailie

very sorry to hear about ur little furbaby ,, sorry if this sounds rude but how much would an op on the knees cost,

Not rude

When I took Bailey in for a diagnosis in late 2007 - the vet quoted us $850 - but that didn't include blood work because she had just been spayed and those results were still good.

[_Chrissy_]

Please keep us posted on Snickers.
I am sorry. I know first hand this is very stressful and emotional for you.
Max and I will be praying for you both.

I am going to try the supplement route with Max and see how that goes.

[DaisyMaesMama]

Hi Vivian...
So sorry to hear about your baby boy. My little girl, Daisy Mae has LP in both her back legs too. My vet gave us Rimadyl and Glucosamin supps too. I only had her on Rimadyl for a week, and it did help her. That was a month ago. Since then, she has had 2 episodes where she started raising her leg when her knee popped out. But now, we are still giving her supplements and she is not suffering any episodes at all.

I am not saying that the supplements are the answer. I think they may be helping, but don't know for sure. We have an Ortho appt. for Daisy Mae on the 23rd, so we will see what He says then.

I am glad that someone mentioned not letting their little one go UP the stairs. I will stop that immediately. It breaks my heart into a million pieces when Daisy's knees go out. I feel so dang helpless!

Hang in there Viv and give Snickers a hug from us!
~Kathy & Daisy Mae

[viviansnickers]

Thank you so much girls...xoxoxoox

Update: Snick's been on Rimydil & glucosamine supps for the past week, he is good ON it. But it wears off and we see him raising his leg ALL THE TIME on and off the drug. More so when it wears off. We can tell when he is in pain, he is inactive. We are both just heart broken and HATE seeing our active happy lil boy so INACTIVE!! He is VERY attached to us, jumping up on our bed (from his raised be next to our bed) every night wanting to snuggle. Sometimes we just stick him in our bed to reduce the jumping. He is eating less also. I hate it.

We are seeing the specialist Orthopedic Surgeon this week and if he tells us the news we already know (Snick needs surgery and pronto) we are scheduling it for Nov 1st. This way, by Xmas Snick should be semi recovered. I just want my lil guy back. It's killing me. Really, it is. I've been depressed for about a week....trying to put up a front for my pup, that everything is OK.

We love him....
-Vivian
Ps...I cannot thank you all enough for all your kind thoughts, prayers, messages, information, sharing your stories, and for just being there for us. It is reassuring to have support and also so many positive experiences to boost our hope. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

[Sweetlips6]

Hi,

So sorry to hear about Snickers. It is so heartbreaking when our babies are sick or hurt.

I seem to relate to several here on the board and you are one of them. It seems like I am drawn to your posts for several reasons. Our pups are about the same age (Bonnie was 1, Sept 29th), we were having potty training woes at the same time, both deciding to go "NV raw" at the same time, and now the LP. (Oh and don't forget bully sticks)

I am afraid that I will be following you in getting the LP diagnosis. When I pick Bonnie up I can "feel" or "hear" a popping of her legs, knees, hips, (not quite sure where). She has on 2 occasions limped and held her little leg up after some hard yorkie play.

I am so sorry that you are having to make these medical decisions so soon. I feel like they are such babies and that we shouldn't have to make these decisions til they are seniors.

Is this a genetic issue that was passed to them? I know yorkies are prone to LP. Do you know if Snicker's parents have LP?

Best of luck, I know you will do what ever you need to for your Snickers,
Sindi

[viviansnickers]

Originally Posted by Sweetlips6

Hi,

So sorry to hear about Snickers. It is so heartbreaking when our babies are sick or hurt.

I seem to relate to several here on the board and you are one of them. It seems like I am drawn to your posts for several reasons. Our pups are about the same age (Bonnie was 1, Sept 29th), we were having potty training woes at the same time, both deciding to go "NV raw" at the same time, and now the LP. (Oh and don't forget bully sticks)

I am afraid that I will be following you in getting the LP diagnosis. When I pick Bonnie up I can "feel" or "hear" a popping of her legs, knees, hips, (not quite sure where). She has on 2 occasions limped and held her little leg up after some hard yorkie play.

I am so sorry that you are having to make these medical decisions so soon. I feel like they are such babies and that we shouldn't have to make these decisions til they are seniors.

Is this a genetic issue that was passed to them? I know yorkies are prone to LP. Do you know if Snicker's parents have LP?

Best of luck, I know you will do what ever you need to for your Snickers,
Sindi

Hi Sindi...

Wow, Bonnie and Snick are very similar. One thing I would recommend is you go and get Bonnie checked out very soon and get her on some Glucosamine supplements to help lubricate her ligaments and perhaps reduce the luxatting in her patellas. I wish I would have known sooner to do this or Snick would have given me some sort of indication to get his knees checked before it got so bad.

Snickers is from a pet store which in turn makes him a puppymill puppy which most likely means his parents were not in the best health. So sad!!

xoxoxo-
-Viv

[viviansnickers]

Hi all....

Well since Snick has been on his meds and glucosamine, things were looking on the up. He will still pick his leg up from time to time and skip but reduced greatly. We went to see the Orthopedic Specialist yesterday and he confirmed Snick has a grade 1 or 2 luxating patella in one leg and the other one has barely a grade 1. He did recommend surgery and we are going through with it. Snickers will have surgery next week on October 28th. I'm am so beyond scared!

Snickers will be having stay over night at the hospital which is what makes me the most nervous. No one will be there with him from 8-12midnight and then again from midnight -7am.

Post-op.....the doctor told me that therapy is a little different than many of you described. He said that Snick should start walking the 2nd day after surgery, to start walking him very slowly so he uses his fixed leg and does not end up walking on 3 legs. It makes sense, but was nervous since some people on here crated their dog after surgery and our surgeon said not to.

I don't know...thinking about all of it makes me so sad. I know it is what is best and I REALLY LIKE the doctor, he answered all my questions, and has a great success rate and does this surgery about 500 times a year.

I'm just so nervous.....
Vivian

[BonBon]

Originally Posted by viviansnickers

Hi all....

Well since Snick has been on his meds and glucosamine, things were looking on the up. He will still pick his leg up from time to time and skip but reduced greatly. We went to see the Orthopedic Specialist yesterday and he confirmed Snick has a grade 1 or 2 luxating patella in one leg and the other one has barely a grade 1. He did recommend surgery and we are going through with it. Snickers will have surgery next week on October 28th. I'm am so beyond scared!

Snickers will be having stay over night at the hospital which is what makes me the most nervous. No one will be there with him from 8-12midnight and then again from midnight -7am.

Post-op.....the doctor told me that therapy is a little different than many of you described. He said that Snick should start walking the 2nd day after surgery, to start walking him very slowly so he uses his fixed leg and does not end up walking on 3 legs. It makes sense, but was nervous since some people on here crated their dog after surgery and our surgeon said not to.

I don't know...thinking about all of it makes me so sad. I know it is what is best and I REALLY LIKE the doctor, he answered all my questions, and has a great success rate and does this surgery about 500 times a year.

I'm just so nervous.....
Vivian

Really, he wants to do surgery on a Grade 1-2? I guess though if Snicks is having those kinds of problems, he probably needs it. So, he's just having the one leg done? That will be good. I will be thinking about you and Snicks, and praying for a perfect surgery. Please keep us updated. Oh, and please give him lots of extra lovins from us!

[viviansnickers]

Yes, even though he has a grade 2, the specialist says that it's just going to get worse so surgery early on will prevent arthritis later and also will give him more and more pain as we prolong it. Makes sense to me.

Does the post-opertation procedures sound ok? I am going to do what he says but I am also going to make sure Snick rests and does not mess with his leg.

Saaaad!!!!

-Vivian

[Mom to Hot Rod]

If you trust your surgeon and he is experienced with the little ones, then you should do it. If there is any kind of reservation, then go ahead and seek a 2nd opinion. Do you know if he has experience with little dogs and their needs? I don't want to confuse the issue but that is an important factor. Either way, please give Snicks a big hugs and kisses from us.

[BonBon]

Vivian, is Snickers allowed on the furniture? Does he jump or use stairs? I'm curious as to what your vet said about this, especially during recovery. I'm trying to think/plan ahead so I can have everything all worked out before it's time for our LP surgery.

[brownminerva]

Hi:
I would not let him on furniture or stairs or any jumping after surgery.
Good Luck and my prayers are with you. Please do not worry, he will be ok and you will be heartened by his recovery.

[viviansnickers]

Hi Bonbon....

No currently Snickers is restricted from furniture and stairs...the only stairs he will travel up and down on are our patio steps to potty which are only 2 steps. After surgery he will not be allow even down those stairs. But the vert recommended he keep trying to walk & use his injured leg so it starts to heal. He said if we don't do this, Snick might start walking on 3 legs and keep his injured leg up. He does sometimes sleep with us in bed and never jumps off the bed and after surgery he most likely will be in his own bed on the floor or on his elevated foot rest cube his bed is on now. He never jumps off that. But he does wake up at night and jump into our bed in the middle of night so like I said, his bed might be on the floor for safety. Or maybe I will put his bed on our bed. I'll have to ask the doctor.


-Viv

[amandawash]

Hey Viv- so sorry Snick has LP and needs surgery. It is certainly not a fun thing to go through, but the outcome is so worth it. Please keep me updated, I don't get on here as much as I used to! Miss you!!! xoxo

I know you were around when I was going through all this but here are the threads:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...artbroken.html


http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...er-update.html

[Mom to Hot Rod]

Originally Posted by viviansnickers

Hi Bonbon....

No currently Snickers is restricted from furniture and stairs...the only stairs he will travel up and down on are our patio steps to potty which are only 2 steps. After surgery he will not be allow even down those stairs. But the vert recommended he keep trying to walk & use his injured leg so it starts to heal. He said if we don't do this, Snick might start walking on 3 legs and keep his injured leg up. He does sometimes sleep with us in bed and never jumps off the bed and after surgery he most likely will be in his own bed on the floor or on his elevated foot rest cube his bed is on now. He never jumps off that. But he does wake up at night and jump into our bed in the middle of night so like I said, his bed might be on the floor for safety. Or maybe I will put his bed on our bed. I'll have to ask the doctor.


-Viv

Hey Viv,
our surgeon told us that it was more of the motion of the leg bending and pushing off. This is what you want to prevent them from doing after surgery. If you can, and trust me, I know what I'm going to say, you may want to look at crating Snick after surgery. What you don't want him doing is trying to "jump/get" up on the bed. Even if he is not jumping, if he stands on that leg in that manner, it could harm the overall effectiveness of his rehabilitation.

Hot Rod had not been in a crate for over a year 1/2 when I had to put him in a crate at night. I would bring his crate upstairs at night and a couple of nights I was right there with him and one night I actually had him on my belly on the loveseat in my bedroom. He was really restless so I took him out and laid him on my belly and the little booger snuggled up and went right to sleep while mommy was wide awake at 3:00 am! lol.