I just purchased a pekingese, I was told by my vet she has patellar luxation, Is this serious?

Question

Will she die? Will she not be able to walk as she matures?

I did ask my vet, but I am paranoid and I just wanted a second opinion. I have a 7 day warranty on her but I have already grown attached and I dunno if the best thing to do is to keep her or trade her...

Answer 1

it will not kill her but it is very serious

Answer 2

the answer is:
Luxating patella, or trick knee, is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location. The luxation is usually medial, but can be lateral. It can be caused by some form of blunt trauma, or may be a congenital defect. In congenital cases, it is usually bilateral. Patellar luxation is a common condition in dogs, particularly small and miniature breeds. The condition usually becomes evident between the ages of 4 to 6 months. It also occurs in cats, especially the Domestic Shorthair.[1]

Diagnosis is made through palpation of the knee. X-rays are necessary in some cases. The luxating patella often causes no or very slight symptoms. There may be intermittent limping in the rear leg. Osteoarthritis can develop secondarily. There are several stages in patellar luxation, ranging from minor (the patella's position is normal most of the time) to very serious (the patella is permanently luxated). The more serious stages require surgery to correct, if the animal has difficulty walking. The surgery involves deepening the groove (trochlea) that the patella sits in.

Additional help can be given with the use of pet ramps, stairs, or steps. These can help the dog travel from one place to another, especially up and down, without adding any pain or damage to the patella.

Answer 3

Patellar luxation is the dislocation (slipping) of the patella (kneecap). In dogs the patella is a small bone that shields the front of the stifle joint. This bone is held in place by ligaments. As the knee joint is moved, the patella slides in a grove in the femur. The kneecap may dislocate toward the inside (medial) or outside (lateral) of the leg. This condition may be the result of injury or congenital deformities (present at birth). Patellar luxation can affect either or both legs.
The most common occurrence of luxating patella is the medial presentation in small or miniature dog breeds. Shallow femoral groove, weak ligaments and malalignment of the tendons and muscles that straighten the joint are all conditions that will predispose a dog toward luxating patellas.
Indications of patellar luxation are; difficulty in straightening the knee, pain in the stifle, limping, or the tip of the hock points outward while the toes point inward.

Answer 4

She won't die. And if it is not really severe she probably won't have any problems with it because she is a small breed. You can ask your veterinarian for more detailed answers to your questions. But most small dogs do fine with patellar luxation. If their knee cap pops out they just hold their let up, do a kick, and it pops back in. If it is extremely severe, there is a surgery to correct it, but this is not recommended for most dogs with this problem, as the surgery can be harder on them than the actual problem. Just ask your veterinarian about it the next time you go in. Good luck with your pekingese!!

Answer 5

The smart thing to do would be to return the dog (I know I couldn't do it, but it's the smartest thing to do).

1...Your breeder probably didn't test her "breeding stock", and bred these dogs for cash, not conformation...this would send a message to the breeder that her dogs are inferior, and shouldn't be bred again (not like she would care)...it's definitely the case if you purchased this dog from a pet store...they ONLY buy their dogs from puppy mills.

2...You will probably spend $2000 on fixing this dog's knees eventually. (My adopted poodle had the same issue)


If you keep the dog, and the degree of luxation is serious, you will need to provide for surgery on the affected leg(s). It is very painful for a dog with a serious luxation, and surgery will be neccessary.

If you return this dog, it will most likely be euthanized, unless you bought it from a good breeder (good parents doesn't 100% guarantee a healthy litter, but it really helps). A good breeder would keep it, fix it's problems, and try to adopt it out. A bad breeder (or pet store) would throw it away, rather than spend money on it.

It's really a matter of conscience, here, only you will know what is the best thing to do.

Answer 6

It depends on the severity. I own a Peke too. Its very common for this breed. Its a problem with the knee caps and sometimes they'll lock or make it difficult to move around. Dogs with a small problem usually are able to live a full life. Moderate to severe cases may require surgery or joint medications to reduce pain and to help joints move better. Your dog won't die and it should be able to move around, depending on the severity.

Answer 7

If you were just at the vet why on earth didn't you ask right then and there? Your vet could have easily answered every question and even told you if he or she thought there may be problems in store for you and what options there may be. So call your vet tomorrow and ask. Whenever I've been told by my vet something was wrong with one of my pets I make them go over it so much with me I'm surprised they don't pull out their vet books..matter of fact they have lol. NEVER feel afraid to ask the vet..that's their job.

Answer 8

Are you serious? The kneecap has slipped out.. Why would you buy a dog like this.. Forget your mini attachment and take the dog back, get your money back and go buy a dog that hasn't already got serious problems..

And 7 day guarantee.. You bought her from a petstore??

Answer 9

take a deep breath, no she's not going to die from it. it's perfectly normal for her breed. you should let her breeder know about it though. it's something a responsible breeder would want to know. often it requires surgery and she should be fine after rest and recouping from the surgery. your vet might want to wait until she's a little older to do the surgery so just be careful with her and make sure she's not jumping on things or running around too much. good luck on your new puppy though!

Answer 10

Why didn't you ask the vet these questions when he/she diagnosed your dog with this?

Where did you purchase her from?

Answer 11

Knee joint popping in & out. Lots of toy dogs have it.