My Pekingese is scheduled for Luxating Patella Surgery.?

Question

My Pekingese is scheduled to have Luxating Patella Surgery on both back legs at Michigan State University Vet Hospital. Can anyone give me info on what to prepare myself for other than high bills? Recovery Time? How long before she can walk? Level of pain?

Answer 1

Ooh. I had to go through this with my dog in November and it was NOT fun. The vet wanted to operate on both knees but he decided to do one at a time. He operated on the left knee which was worse. Luckily, during the operation, he determined that it was not as bad as he thought and so he put off the surgery for the second knee. He has not had any more problems since.

Anyway, recovery really takes a toll. My dog Loki was very dopey for the 1st week while he was on his medication for the pain and not himself. That soon wore off when he finished the prescription. He wanted to run around and it was very difficult keeping him still. We had to carry him up and down the stairs every time and pick him up if he started walking too much. He hopped and limped a lot in the beginning, but he slowly started using his leg more and more. It was about 6-8 weeks when things started to get a little more normal. It really depends on your dog though and the grade of luxation. Loki was in the 1st stage so we caught it early before it got bad. Also he had just turned 1 year old, so it was easy for him to bounce back quicker.

Recommendations: If you can take off for a few days, it will help your dog's recovery. I scheduled it during Thanksgiving and took a few extra days off. If not, maybe find a friend or family member that can help. Our vet also recommended swimming therapy. We never did it b/c the facilities were too far but it seems very helpful in helping them move the leg without putting weight on it. Also, be very mindful of the stitches. This was the worst part with our dog because he is so high strung and difficult. He ended up pulling out a stitch, but luckily it was the one at the end and it was healed already. A doggie cone collar will be helpful.

If you have any other questions on anything I didn't cover, feel free to contact me ;) Good luck.

Answer 2

It is basically knee surgery where they tighten up the ligament holding the knee cap in place. With loose the knees , the knee cap has a tendency of popping out of place at the most inopportune time. The surgery itself may take anywhere from 1-3 hours and that is all dependent on many factors which the veterinarian should go over with you.
Physical therapy should begin within a day or two and pain medication is recommended for the duration of therapy. Full recovery depends on how your pet functions under pain and stress. I have seen some dogs recover within 3-4 months and others could take up to a year. The main thing here is to make sure you follow the doctors' recommendations and you should be fine. With the surgery being done at MSU, it is good to know that you WILL have the best care possible for your 4 legged friend. Good luck to both of you.

Answer 3

My Golden Retriever had to have that same surgery. Usually big dogs don't have this problem, it's usually small dogs like yours. They will shave the leg completely and will dig out some of the knee cap, I'm pretty sure, so that the knee will have more to hold it in. You dog won't be able to walk on the leg for a while, he'll have to limp around on 3 legs until he feels he can put it down. My golden had to have this surgery twice. The first time we put her in a rehab clinic and had all the bells and whistles (massage and water therapy mostly), but when it happened again, we just kept her at home. We just made sure to use ice and heat packs a couple of times a day. Hot for a couple minutes and then cold for a couple, etc. The doctor should tell you what to do after the surgery. I hope this helps a little bit.

Answer 4

I have a 2 year old Yorkie who has the same issue.

For those of you out there who may not know what this is- here you go. Basically put, the knee caps sit in a groove on the knee. A luxating patella is caused by one of 2 ways: there is no groove on the knee for the patella or 'knee cap' to sit in, or the tendons holding the knee cap are stretched out. Luxating patella means the knee cap pops out of place and can cause severe arithitis if not corrected.

My doctor told me cost was $1000/per leg and recovery time was at least 2 months. It depends a lot on the age of the dog, as younger dogs recover quicker. My vet said that Starsky ( my dog) would begin putting pressure back in that leg within a week! So, I assume it couldn't be too long to recover completely. They would keep her highly medicated to eliminate any pain, but I am surprised he is doing both legs at once. My vet said he has done both at once, but highly recommended doing one at a time. I dunno... preference of the vet I am sure.

Starsky hasn't limped since Christmas, as it has only happened 4 times in all on each back leg. We ( my husband and I + the vet) hope he will outgrow it!

Good luck and give your pup good treats afterwards for being such brave dog!

Answer 5

Honestly I wish I could help, but I have no idea what type of surgery you are talking about. I'm sure the veteranarian can answer all your questions. I understand your reason in being concerned. I have a dog and I know I'd be the same way as you are....probably a nervous wreck. Best of luck to you and the dog. I'm sure she/he will be fine! The hospital knows what it's doing. Please....give me an update! I know how you feel!

Answer 6

we have a flatcoat who has the same, she had both legs operated on, took 18 months for full recovery. we also had to have her caged a lot to make sure she rested, it is a very long process. we had it paid for us through pet insurance it doe come to hundreds, goodluck.xxxxx

Answer 7

what type of surgery is that?