I have a 3 year old golden retriever, at his check-up a few days ago the vet said that he is going to need surgery to screw his kneecap into place as it pops out. The Vet said he would need x-rays while sedated, then a specialist to look at the x-rays, surgery and I would assume some sort of rehab afterward. I was wondering if anyone elses dog has had to have this surgery, how the dog did afterwards and how much it cost??
Without the surgery the vet said he would have really bad arthritis starting at a young age and would have to be on pain medicine for the rest of his life and we do not want to put him through that. So please help!
Thank You all in advance!!
2006-12-03 03:50:12 · 8 answers · asked by Jemma 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I work for a vet that does these procedures. Depending on where you have the surgery done the cost, rehab time, pain etc can vary greatly. Starting from the "beginning" of the process, sedation for the Xrays may or may not be necessary, I know my dog would need it, but we have done them without sedation. A specialist would most likely require sedation though because their Xrays are going to be more exacting than the Xrays a general veterinarian would do. Typically, these dogs do very well after surgery. Our office does a pain patch as well as oral pain meds for the first three days afterwards to get them through the intial pain. We send them home with a soft splint for the first 24-48 hours, and recommend minimal activity and leash walks only until their follow up (usually 10-14 days later). After that there is a series of small increases in daily activity that can be done at home. Depending on access, you can also take your dog to a therapist, however we only have one in the area, and she's very hard to get into, so we have a protocol for home care/therapy afterwards.
If your dog is not having syptoms of patellar luxations (what you are describing) than the surgery may not be absolutely necessary at this time. As your vet mentioned, it will improve the long term health of all of his joints if his patella is stabalized. It could be however, than after they do the Xrays, you could start a joint supplement now, to maintain/improve his joint health, and wait until such point as a surgery is absolutely necessary or until its financially feasible.
Best of luck with this process. I know it can be scary and overwhelming. If you have questions or concerns, a good vet will talk over your concerns, and can usually put you in contact with other owners who have had the same procedure done.
2006-12-03 04:14:55 · answer #1 · answered by skachicah35 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My old dog (she's gone now) tore ligaments in both knees, once at 7 years old, and once at 12 years old. She had surgery on each knee and did very well afterwards, even when she was 12 (she lived over a year after that). I do not regret having the surgeries done, as they made her much more comfortable and I feel that I got 6 quality years after the first one. Yes, she still had pretty bad arthritis, even with the surgery; but had I not had the surgery done - I don't think she would have lived to 13 due to pain.
Some of my friends questioned the money I spent on her surgeries, but she was my best friend and furry child... you can't put monetary value on that kind of companionship.
Follow your heart!
2006-12-03 04:00:56 · answer #2 · answered by dogandcatluvr 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Surprisingly, this is not uncommon. It can very expensive to fix, but in the long run, it will really help your dog. After surgery, your dog will need to stay quiet for about 6-8 weeks-that is one of the toughest parts. You will probably be going in for weekly checkups of the the cast and stitches and everything. You might want to talk to your vet about a payment plan so you can better prepare for the surgery costs. You also want to make sure to get prices quoted in writing along with everything that is included in the surgery, because they will probably want to add on pain meds at the end to help with healing, so make sure you get prices on this stuff up front.
If you don't think your dog needs this, there is always the option of getting a second opinion from another vet.
2006-12-03 04:00:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ask your vet if he would take payments. Or get an estimate from another vet. There is nothing to be done at this point. He has torn the ligaments and it is extremely painful for him to even stand. I have never had a problem like this but have always had Labs from tested, and titled parents who are not prone to this problem. Maybe someone else has dealt with it and can be of more help.
2016-03-13 01:59:11 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure about all that with the bill and stuff, but you're right a dog shouldn't be put through with that so I would just get it done and the dog will probably thank you!:)
2006-12-03 03:59:55 · answer #5 · answered by Morgan(: 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My friends dog had hip sugery, they said that she would get bad arthrites without the sugery. She is doing fine now and she had it back in August.
2006-12-03 03:53:48 · answer #6 · answered by heather_766 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's going to cost a lot of money but still pray because god is good he is going to make everything alright.GOOD LUCK!!!
2006-12-03 03:55:29 · answer #7 · answered by NEWBEE1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I DONT KNOW THAT SORRY
2006-12-03 04:10:49 · answer #8 · answered by aidee1996 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋