My Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix is 7lbs and has luxating patella (slip knee) in both hind legs. Last year she was grade 1 and occasionally would skip on either leg when walking quickly/running, but then it seemed she stopped doing it all together.
However, last week she started limping and picking up her hind leg and would hesitate to even walk. We took her to the vet immediately and she had a cracked nail on that foot and the vet thought that may have been why she wouldn’t put her foot down. He sent us home with antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory and she did really well. But the day after she finished the anti-inflammatory she started limping on the leg again when she went to run after a toy.
She has an appointment with the vet for Tuesday, but I already know what hes going to say (we talked last year about her needing surgery in the future to deepen the grove in the joint). But I just wanted to get some advice from anyone who has been in this situation. Should i go for the surgery? Money is not an issue because it is covered by her pet insurance, but what is the success rate for the surgery? What are the risks? She doesn’t seem to be in any pain now but I know it cannot be comfortable. Also, should I put her on a joint supplement whether or not she has the surgery?
Thanks for any advice, I’m just worried and want the best for her. I’d hate to see her in pain.
Kaila::
Thanks for all the great info! My dog has actually been on a strict diet her entire life. We alternate her kibble between Orijen and EVO but I was unaware EVO was sold to P&G. I will definitely have to look for a different brand… Are you familiar with Beyond Grain? (Ive been looking at that for a while).
Also, how do you give your dog supplements? (powder, pill, etc) I tried giving my dog a supplement in the past that had to be mixed into food, but she is so finicky and doesnt have a regular eating schedule, but I dont know if I could get her to take a pill. Could you recommend any good brands? Someone told me to look into Synovi G3 small bites or Osteo Pet Total.
EDIT: When I got Teddy as a puppy, the breeder gave us a small packet of NuVet vitamins. It’s all-natural, and has herbs, vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients to help boost the animal’s immune system. They make a formula specifically for joints, called NuJoint Plus (it contains glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM). The Joint formula comes in a chewable pill form only, but the regular NuVet formula comes in both a chewable pill AND a powder. I used the powder with great results. You just sprinkle some on the dog’s food, and mix it in. I used wet food and that had great results — he didn’t even seem to taste a difference! I am going to order some of the NuJoint formula, and I bet you could just put it in a ziploc bag and crush it into a powder, THEN sprinkle it on.
http://nuvet.com/products.html
I haven’t tried the Joint formula yet, but I have tried PureVita Hip & Joint treats. They are small bone-shaped, semi-moist treats that contain glucosamine and chondroitin. The back of the bag tells you how much to give per body weight. My Chihuahua gets 1/2 a treat, and my Jack Russell gets 2 treats daily.
http://www.petfooddirect.com/prodimgs/prod/203112402_lg.jpg
Also, I don’t use fish oil PILLS. The one I have comes in liquid form in a hand-pump. I just squirt one or two pumps on my dogs’ food, and voila.
They love the taste. As for Vitamin E, I’ve heard of people getting Vitamin E gel pills and popping them with a needle, then squirting the gel onto the dog’s food and mixing it.
http://www.fetchdog.com/images/zoom/N30002Z16OZ_NA____607MBSZ_01OW.jpg
It’s great that you feed a “variety” diet (ie. rotating brands of kibble). I’ve seen the Before Grain canned food, but I had to look up the kibble. I think it is a Merrick product, but don’t quote me on that. The only bad thing I can find about BG is: “The food includes canola oil rather than fat. Whilst this is beneficial, canola is not believed by all to be high quality.” I’d say go for it, if that’s the worst there is.
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I had to shorten the rest of my post to accomodate the new reply.
I have a 5 lb Chihuahua, and his sire has a Grade 2 luxation. My pup’s knees will “click” occasionally, but he hasn’t had any painful dislocations as of yet, though I have discussed it breifly with our vet.
– The omega fatty acids in fish oil helps to reduce joint inflammation and lubricate joints (ex. knees) to make them work better. It has the added benefit of making a dog’s fur very shiny and healthy-looking.
– Glucosamine stimulates the production of cartilage-building proteins, which helps to repair any damage to the joints.
– Chondroitin inhibits the production of cartilage-destroying enzymes, helping to keep joints strong and lubricated. It also helps to fight inflammation of the joints.
– Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps to remove free radicals that attack the joints and cause inflammation.
My dogs have been eating Orijen Regional Red kibble and EVO wet food (but we are switching off of EVO because the company was just sold to Procter & Gamble).
In addition to a good diet, I’ve heard of water therapy being very beneficial for dogs with weak joints. Swimming is very low impact for the joints, but it helps to strengthen the muscles around the joints so that they can support the joints better. Just don’t forget a life vest.
I’m sorry I can’t help more with the rest of your question! Good luck with your vet visit, and I hope everything works out for the best for your dog!
I have dealt with luxating patellas many, many times- the last animal hospital I worked at was a specialty center that did quite a large number of them.
Generally the primary concern is cost- but I think many dogs experience a lot less discomfort after the surgery. As orthopedic surgeries go with good post-operative pain management they generally do really well although you are going to have to baby her leg for a while during the recovery.
A joint supplement, considering she is getting surgery and having problems with her joint, certainly can’t hurt! Ask the vet though if the thinks it would be harmful for her to have. There are quite a large number of joint supplements available out there for dogs.
I have had 2 boston terriers with lp and one had surgery and did great! The other lived to a ripe old age and had no problems.
Just make sure to keep your dog a good weight, i know its hard especially when they become older and more lethargic. LP is not so bad it could be a whole lot worse. I think it is time to trust your vet. (i got a 2nd opinion before surgery, and felt much better about the decision)