# Medial patella luxation



## tufee (Feb 13, 2014)

My vet noted my dog's subluxing patella during routine check up in the yearly vaccination. So far, my dog is 2 years old and showed no sign of limping. He recommended a prophylactic correctional surgery to prevent the dog from future limping. He said a subluxing patella will lead to premature osteoarthritis, and eventually the dog will suffer. :'(
I will go for another vet for a second opinion. I was told that 9 out of 10 toy poodles have knee caps problems. 
Hey guys, Is any one of your poodle suffered from knee caps problems and if anyone of your pet has undergone the surgery? How is the recovery process?? How much is the surgery ? (~ US$1000 in my vet)


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## RufflySpeaking (Jan 7, 2014)

Did he give the patellar issue a "grade"? Mild grades do not need surgery. 


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

My little Chi, Jose` had patella surgery quite a few years ago. In his case, he needed it. He was having a lot of pain and problems. So, we got that done and let me tell you, the recovery was awful. He was in terrible pain for several days and it took a lot longer before he was all healed up. It got better but not forever. The vet said these things don't always hold forever. He's had his ups and downs, but for the most part, he's been quite fine, rarely a problem with it slipping. The main thing that has kept him relatively trouble free is exercise. Nothing excessive, but we use to hike a lot, walks most days and those muscles and ligaments need to be strong to hold things together. When we'd go for a week or more without enough exercise, that's when it would start slipping. So, gradually and only if and when he's not being bothered by it, work up slowly to building those muscles and surrounding tissues. (ligaments, tendons)

I'd definitely get a 2nd opinion because in many, many cases, it's mild enough...doesn't cause them that much trouble and the surgery is not fun.

The last time a vet looked at him, he said these days they don't like to do surgery unless it's absolutely necessary. If it's not slipping out that often or he doesn't have much pain, I wouldn't do it.

Chulita, my girl Chi had it but I never knew it until just recently. A vet told me. He felt it move. She never showed one iota of trouble from it.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

My littlest one Killa has LP in both knees. She is only a grade one and still very young though. We have done physical therapy and hydro therapy to help strengthen the muscles and ligaments/tendons to keep the patella in place since she doesn't have the groove to do so. I have never been told to do surgery for her. Maybe because she is still young and could grow out of it or maybe because they are not bad enough and can be treated with therapy instead. My first poodle Carmel had a grade 2-3 and it would affect his gait. He would skip and sometimes not use the leg until it went back into place or until I put it back in place. Unfortunately he was killed before he needed to have the surgery. 


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## KristaLynn (Mar 22, 2012)

Jewel has LP as well I fostered two Chi mixes with LP, they had it worse than Jewel and it would affect their gait from time to time but they never acted like they were in pain. Between the three dogs no vet recommended surgury. 

There's a woman on another dog forum I'm on that I high respect (she ran an SPCA, was a breeder and showed dogs and competed in a few things, now a groomer, runs a kennel and small rescue) and she said that of all the dogs she'd seen that had had the surgery and hadn't had it she wouldn't do it.


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## Poodlelvr (Mar 13, 2010)

I had one mini that had patella problems. My vet referred us to an orthopedic vet--a specialist for surgery. I would seek out a specialist for a second opinion. My toy girl has a low grade lux pat, and my vet has never suggested surgery.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I would never in a million years do surgery on a dog that was not having a problem. My new Vet showed me that she can pop Tangee's knees in and out so easily - yet she is twelve years old and has never limped a day in her life! I am glad that since she never had a problem, my old Vet never bothered to exam them, nor try to talk me into surgery when she was young, or as bad as they look when they are manipulated, I might have fallen for it!


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## pandj (Jun 12, 2013)

I would not do surgery if your dog is not having a problem. If you vet is recommending surgery I would be looking for a new vet.

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