Luxating Patella & Cold weather

[Rockdiva]

Wookie has luxating patella that has been doing very the past few months after aggravating it this summer. He is on GlycoFlex, and has been on some other herbal supplements for it. Did great!! No raising up the leg or anything. But lately since its been cooling off, I have noticed that when he gets up from lying down he hops a little. Today got really cold and he really hobbled around for a few mins after he got up from lying down. Does anyone know if this is normal for luxating patella to be aggravated by the cold? Its still not popping out of place (where he raises his leg for a min) just looks like he is sore.....I feel so bad, he looks like a little old dog with arthritis and he is only 3!!! (almost 4 actually)

[Ladymom]

What grade luxation does he have?

It's not the actual patellar luxation that causes pain, but the arthritis that sets in. That's why grades 3 & 4 should be surgically corrected early on, before the arthritic changes take place. Luxating patellas put abnormal stress on other joints which can cause changes and arthritis, too. Bowed front legs are pretty common.

A friend has a Maltese who was diagnosed with LP's at age three and her vet told her he would just keep an eye on them. At age five the poor dog has front legs that are so bowed and arthritic he is in constant pain and she has been told it is too late to do surgery now. Poor thing has to be on pain medication for the rest of his life and he is only five.

At almost four, it is possible Wookie has arthritis if his LP's are significant. I would definitely talk to your vet about it.

[capt_noonie]

I didn't know they could get LP in the front legs too!

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

I didn't know they could get LP in the front legs too!

No, they don't get LP's in the front legs, but the LP's in the hind legs can cause them to become bow legged in the front legs.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

No, they don't get LP's in the front legs, but the LP's in the hind legs can cause them to become bow legged in the front legs.

Oh really? how does that happen? Uni is diagnosed grade 3, but I think she may only be grade 2. Her patellas are usually in place, and have only popped out once on there own while at the beach. Too much fun I guess. That was the only time she hiked her leg. I have her on cosequin.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

Oh really? how does that happen? Uni is diagnosed grade 3, but I think she may only be grade 2. Her patellas are usually in place, and have only popped out once on there own while at the beach. Too much fun I guess. That was the only time she hiked her leg. I have her on cosequin.

This is a good explanation:

Grade 3: The patella is out of place all the time but can be manipulated back into its normal position manually (though it will not stay there).

Grade 4: The patella is not only out of place all the time but cannot even be manipulated back into place by hand. Such a dog has extreme difficulty extending his knees and walks with his knees bent virtually all the time.

It is not a good thing to have one’s knee cap out of place; the entire weight-bearing stress of the rear leg is altered which, in time, leads to changes in the hips, long bones, and ultimately arthritis. How severe the changes are depend on how severe the luxation is (i.e. the grade as described above) and how long that degree of luxation has been going on. In time, the legs will actually turn outward with its muscles turning inward, making the dog “bow-legged.” The luxation is not considered a painful condition but after enough time and conformational change, arthritis sets in, which is indeed painful.

Medial Luxating Patella

[capt_noonie]

Yeah, Uni's patellas are in place, but after too much activity (only once I know of) they came out after bouncing around in the surf and only on one side. I check her patellas daily during brushings, and they are always in there. But I know they can be manually moved out of socket, as the vet had shown me. That's stage 2 right?

[viviansnickers]

LP's are very touch and go.

Rockdiva...yes, the weather affects it. Snick had his LP surgery 3.5 weeks ago and I swear the way he gracefully walks and prances around on all 4's again, you would never think he had LP. He is doing incredible and he only had a grade 2 and we had surgery on it. He was lifting his leg a ton so we thought it was the best decision. The vet says the LP will worsen the longer you wait for surgery, but then also, some dogs live fine with LP and deals with it with the help of glucosamine.

Now that the weather is colder, Snick lifts his leg again outside, rarely inside. Actually every time he pee's he lifts it so it won't get wet from the pee. Interesting. And he wants IN immediately

Holidays Huggies-
Snick & Viv

[yorkie_mama22]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

No, they don't get LP's in the front legs, but the LP's in the hind legs can cause them to become bow legged in the front legs.

Stormy was VERY bow legged in the front legs when I got her, I wish I would of known that tip before. Thanks!

[Mom to Hot Rod]

Originally Posted by Rockdiva

Wookie has luxating patella that has been doing very the past few months after aggravating it this summer. He is on GlycoFlex, and has been on some other herbal supplements for it. Did great!! No raising up the leg or anything. But lately since its been cooling off, I have noticed that when he gets up from lying down he hops a little. Today got really cold and he really hobbled around for a few mins after he got up from lying down. Does anyone know if this is normal for luxating patella to be aggravated by the cold? Its still not popping out of place (where he raises his leg for a min) just looks like he is sore.....I feel so bad, he looks like a little old dog with arthritis and he is only 3!!! (almost 4 actually)

Hot Rod had lp surgery in march of this year for a grade 3 lp. He is slow in moving first thing in the mornings and I cannot tell if it is from the cold but he seems to take a little longer in moving around outside. Once he gets going, he's fine. Our vet told us that it take up to a year to fully recuperate. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[MyTrixie143]

My cocker spaniel has LP and arthritis mostly from old age. The only time she limps or holds it up is after trying to run or when the weather is really cold. It only pops out of place though when she runs and pops back in easily. In the winter time I think it is more arthritis so I give her the consequin supplements and it makes a huge difference. Any other time you wouldn't know the problem existed. She is pretty healthy and active for being 11 years old.

[Rockdiva]

Thank you guys sooo much. Talked with my hollistic vet and he doesn't seem to think that Wookie has developed arthritis. Thinks its just the lp acting up in the cold. We are continuing on the GlycoFlex and Ligi PN and he is giving something else (I think he called it Cogel) that he said for him to take just when its cold out. So we will see what that does...

Just for the record per the above conversations, both of Wookies vets (his regular vet and his hollistic vet) both say that he is not even close to needing surgery yet. That he may not ever progress, or it could progress all at once, or he could have an injury at anytime that makes it progress....its just something we have to watch with him. And I do...believe me...I do!! Everything little thing...haha

[107barney]

Daisy had a grade 4 luxating patella which was surgically corrected when she was about 7 or 8 months old (the dog was lame at that point and had to have the surgery). She has another, grade 3 luxating patella, and the orthopedist will not surgically repair it unless she is lame. She is older now, and we manage her flares with cage rest and if absolutely needed an antiflammatory and pain medication (we try to avoid these because she has liver problems).

As for your question - yes, she tends to get flares in the winter. We live in New England and it's practically Antarctica with our cold. I made her a new microwavable heating pad that she seems to like that I've been putting on her leg to help. Now if Teddy would just leave her alone!!

[char76]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

I didn't know they could get LP in the front legs too!

Hi, I was just at the vets the other day, my Yorkie had been walking a bit funny.I took her to my vet.She has a luxating patella in her front legs which the vet said is common in smaller breeds. It does not cause her any pain right now which is great but the vet said it will probably cause her to have arthitis in her knees when she is older so we are taking preventative measures and starting her on glucosamine treats now.I sure hope that my little one comes along ok.Just thought that I would let you know, that they can get LP in the front legs.Thanks