Pom with luxating patella...surgery info needed

My Mom's 3 1/2 year old pomeranian Reuben needs surgery for one of his knees. Does anyone know anything about this surgery? His vet suggested doing both knees so he will be forced to use the one that is operated on. He said Reuben doesn't have a "ridge" on his right knee and if it's not fixed soon (before he's 5 years old) he will develop arthritis. We would appreciate any info!

 

my stepduaghters dog had an operation on both legs last summer I dont remember if it was a knee problem or leg tendon type, he had both back legs done at the same time and made a great recovery an dhe is about 7 years old

 

Havent had one of my own dogs go through the surgery but I can tell you that the ortho vet I used to work for had one or 2 dogs a week that he did, a lot of them would have both knees done at the same time otherwise its like theyre just getting over one surgery then have to go back and get the other one done (if needed).
There would be some confinement needed at home for (if I remember correctly) about 4-6 weeks and then they would need a recheck, if all is okay then they still have to take it easy for a while longer, like no running, trying to jump up onto furniture kind of thing.

If only one knee needs the surgery though, Im not sure about the protocol there, Ive seen many dogs do fine after having surgery just on the one knee.....but then again Im not a vet. :?

 

Thanks for the info guys! I'm not sure about the confinement lol. Reuben is one WILD dog! I call him Ricochet cuz he bounces off of everything!!

I'm not so sure about doing both legs for the reason he said either...but maybe the other knee has some damage and will need done later and Mom just didn't get that detail. But then like I understood it, you can't exactly tell a dog that he has to use the leg that was operated on, can you?

 

I would imagine as the leg starts to feel better, the dog would start using it. Don't you think?

 

Mom said the vet said the dog wouldn't use the leg that was operated on and therefore it wouldn't rehab... :? maybe she should talk with the other experienced vet at our animal hospital.

Reuben doesn't use the leg very much now. And when he does it's kinda pivoted inward (if that's a word).

BTW here's Reuben:


hehehe..why is that pic so small?

 

HI coppersmom,
I was going to PM you but I think the info I just got is pretty interesting for anyone with a dog with luxating patellas.
I talked to 2 vets (one a board cert.ortho specialist, the other hasnt taken his boards yet but is working towards it).
Neither of them would would do surgery on the good knee....ever....as one said, "if it aint broke dont fix it". They were both 'surprized/shocked' that any vet would do that.

That said, you mentioned that your mom said the good knee could be 'popped' back in.....thats a whole different thing.
Heres part of one of the e-mails I got (this vet has been a friend for over 16 years and I trust him 100%)

"If he can move the patella out of the grove (trochlear groove) it IS a luxating patella.
They Grade I - IV:
I - it pops out for a split second.
II - pops out and locks out for a short time.
III - out all of the time but can be pushed back in - but when let go it pops back out.
IV - out and stuck and can't budge it.

Grade II, III, and IV - Correct with surgery (Sx).
Sometimes Sx on grade I - depends on alot of things.
If both luxate - and you have to correct one of them - then do both at the same time."

He also said he would never do surgery on this as a preventative, the problem has to already be there.

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you so much! I just copied and pasted that to my Mom. She has already read about the grading but the vet didn't mention any grade. She's gonna call and/or go back to have both knees graded and take her list of questions.

You're the best ! :m5:

 

Thanks..... it really helps to have good friends that just happen to be vets.

Hope all goes well with your moms Pom.

 

I think this is something different, but I once had a terrier whose knee on a back leg would pop in and out of joint. When it was out, she would not put it down but when it popped back in (by itself) she used it just fine. The vet did surgery on it to "tighten up the ligaments" and she never had another problem with it. Only the one leg was done and it healed fine. And it only cost about $300!

I think I would consult with a different vet if I were your mom. I would be very nervous having this vet do the surgery after he has already given bad advice. And I would *never* get the healthy knee operated on!!

 

Jamiya--it sounds like the same thing. Execpt your dog had a lower grade and could pop it back in place by himself. Maybe all that needs to be done to the other leg that still has the groove is what your dog had done. We had a little terrier when I was growing up whose knees would luxate. I would rub them and pop them back in place most of the time. He developed terrible arthritis and suffered alot in his final years. So I guess that's why we are both so concerned about doing the surgerys or not and about his recovery. Mom's other pom out-grew her knee problem but she is basically one notch above the couch cushion on her activity level lol so that may have something to do with that. Hers luxated when she was younger but not now.

Yeah, I agree she should consult with the other vet. But neither of them are orthopedist...so that's another reason we're a little freaked out. I'm hoping he didn't give her bad advice--just that I didn't have all of the info.

 

My vet told us when we had the surgery done that she would not have arthritis or any other problems with that leg due to the surgery. She said the leg would actually be better than it ever was before. Unfortunately, she got out of our yard when she was about 9 years old and despite looking for her and calling every shelter in town for weeks (and she DID have tags on!!), we never got her back - so I can't tell you how she did in old age. But as I said, she was about 9 years old when that happened and she had the surgery when she was only a couple years old, so it had been quite a while with no problems.