|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
06-25-2007, 02:12 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada
Posts: 14
| Luxating Patella Hi everyone, my dog mylo was recently diagnosed with luxating patella (dislocated kneecap)...anyone else have this problem with their yorkie? mylo is ok, he's not that severe, but it still bugs me that he has this problem. and the vet suggests i do surgery, but i'm trying to see if i have other options. he can walk fine and is active and lively. just the odd limping when it pops out. but it's rare...any info/tips would be great. thanks |
Welcome Guest! | |
06-25-2007, 04:47 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 11,003
| Lacy was diagnosed about a month ago at her last checkup. Her right leg is a grade 3 and her left is a grade 2. The right one really pops out easily. She hasn't had any problems with limping or her leg locking up and it hasn't seemed to bother her at all yet. The vet told me that they've seen a lot of dogs under 15lbs with grade 3 luxating patellas live just fine without surgery. She said we'd just need to monitor Lacy. She said that Lacy was at a healthy weight and that is very important - don't want to much weight on those knees. I also started giving her a glucosamine/chondroiton supplement every morning to help her joints. The vet said as long as her knees aren't locking up and bothering her there is no need for surgery but we'll keep an eye on them.
__________________ ~Magnifique Yorkies~ Purchasing from backyard breeders, pet shops, and puppymills perpetuates the suffering of other dogs. Educate yourself and buy from reputable breeders or rescue. |
06-25-2007, 04:54 PM | #3 |
Phantom Queen Morrigan Donating Member | Quite a few people on here have yorkies with LPs. Some have had surgery and some have not. Morgan has LPs but they are low grade. I started giving her Missing Link plus with glucosamine to hopefully prevent it from getting any worse. I work for a veterinary orthopedic surgeon and we do knee surgeries every day. Little dogs do wonderfully after this type of surgery. If your dogs knee is already popping out it is possible that he will need the surgery done eventually, and sorry to say, your vet will probably recommend getting both done at the same time.
__________________ Kellie and Morgan |
06-25-2007, 09:03 PM | #4 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada
Posts: 14
| THANKS FOR all the tips...hmm, i really dont want to put him through surgery but yeah, i guess it's better for him in the long run...so you recommend i do both legs? i guess there's that chance the other leg can be affected later on... |
06-26-2007, 03:08 AM | #5 |
Phantom Queen Morrigan Donating Member | Its unfortunate but most dogs do eventually need to get both legs done. In bigger dogs usually only one leg shows signs of LP, but since they are using the good leg to over compensate for the bad leg, by the time the bad leg is healed from surgery the good leg starts showing signs as well. In small dogs, its a very common thing to have both done at the same time because most small dogs have LPs, whether they show signs or not. Depending on the dog and the severity some vets will do both at the same time, some won't. So if you go and see an orthopedic surgeon i would ask them what they think. They are board certified in most cases and have more knowledge about what they are doing then regular DVMs. Some regular DVMs do knees on a refular basis, but most do not, so i would seek a second opinion with a orthopedic surgeon after you talk to your own vet.
__________________ Kellie and Morgan |
06-26-2007, 07:09 AM | #6 | |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Texas
Posts: 875
| Quote:
We did surgery on her right leg immediately. It really wasn't so bad. We had to kennel her for a while, but within a week, she was starting to walk around. My vet said that was extremely early, but if she's ready, let her start - just make sure she takes it easy. That was the first of April - now, with the exception of being shaved, you can't tell she ever had anything wrong with her legs. She is still walking on her left, but it is a grade 3 and gradually getting worse. We know that if we don't do something, her left will end up permanently dislocated like her right and she'll no longer be able to use it either. We also know that any damage done is permanent, even with surgery. They can put the knee cap back where it goes, but they can't fix all the damage if you let it get that bad. Pixie is scheduled to go ahead and go in for her left knee surgery on July 5th. We think this is her best option even though it means her 4th surgery in less than a year, without it, she will soon lose use of her leg. So the advice I offer is this - don't panic. It really does turn out OK and the surgeon can fix their knees good as new AS LONG AS you don't let it get too bad before getting the surgery. My other advice is... do the surgery soon if it's a grade 3 or more. If it's a grade 1, there's nothing really to worry about except to keep an eye on it - although if they notice it, it's likely a 2-3. My vet said a grade 2, they would consider surgery, but it is definitely necessary when it gets to grade 3. Pixie never even knew anything happened to her. She woke up rearing to go and within a few days was trying to put weight on her leg. This is not a death sentence or anything - just a hurdle to jump over so they can keep running and jumping If you need any more help or advice, I'm right there with you.
__________________ ~Lopsi... and Pixie & Bogey; RIP Baby Caddo, 2/15/2007 | |
06-26-2007, 08:16 AM | #7 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada
Posts: 14
| thanks for the advice and support...i will keep an eye out on my dog and see if it gets worse...i'll for sure call around to diff. specialists... |
06-26-2007, 05:40 PM | #8 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: huntington
Posts: 16
| new to this forum-knee problem My Rex has seen an orthopedic surgeon recommended by our vet on Long Island and the surgery has been recommended for his left leg-a level 3. He also damaged a ligament in that leg, a weeek ago, perhaps because it was already in a less than perfect condition. I did not ask if his other knee should be operated on-it is a level 2, but after reading these comments, I will inquire. Although I am reluctant to have the surgery at this point I am more afraid not to-he is just 3 years old and loves to romp. Was the recovery very difficult? Will he be able to go for those long walks once again after he has healed? |
Bookmarks |
|
|
Thread Tools | |
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart