My dog has luxating patella and arthritis. Do I need a second opinion?

Patellar luxation is an unusual sort of problem. Bracing won't help in this situation, as the problem is that the kneecap (the patella) slides back-and-forth across the surface of the knee joint and doesn't sit securely in the groove, as it should. Dogs can be mildly to severely affected by this problem. Those with a low grade (1 or 2) patellar luxation may exhibit intermittent lameness that usually resolves quickly, and may sustain some mild arthritis over time. Higher grade luxations (3 or 4) cause more long-term lameness, and with grade 4 luxations the dog may not be able to use the leg at all. Also, luxations of grade 3 and 4 tend to produce more substantial arthritis, and if your veterinarian has told you that your dog has a luxation of either 3 or 4, you should consider surgery to stabilize the joint and prevent further arthritis from occurring. The surgery is usually highly successfully in resolving the problem.

If Stella is having difficulty walking/running, surgery may be indicated. Your vet will be able to grade the luxation by checking to see how far it moves out of the groove. She will then be able to determine whether or not surgery is necessary on this leg. Good luck! I hope Stella is feeling better soon.

Not that severe usually to require a euthanasia. Usually this surgery (especially if Peppi is a small breed) is resolutive,but the most delicate part of it, I would say, is the post-operative period, in which initial strict rest has to be followed by gradually increased and proper exercise. I am sure you vet will give detailed explanations about it, based on specific type of surgery they are going to perform. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

My best guess is that Buffy has a luxating patella. I suggest you get a second opinion from another vet. This is very common in small breed dogs. Surgery is recommended in most cases. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/luxating-patella/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

The diagnosis could be accurate but he could also have a problem with a meniscus or possibly a problem with the LSS. If he does not get better with rest and Rimadyl than you could take him to an orthopedic specialist to determine the cause and treat the problem.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is never wrong to seek a second opinion. Without all the medical records, X-rays and examining him myself I cannot tell you anything via this platform but you can certainly seek the opinion of another vet in your area. There is no harm in doing that. I'm glad Brownie seems to be doing well but, in my opinion, the knee popping could be an issue (if not immediately, possibly long term). Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Whether or not surgery is recommended for this condition depends on how much it is bothering the dog. Many dogs with luxating patellas have very little lameness and are not overly bothered by this problem - so in that case, surgery would not be recommended. If Penny is significantly lame and painful in her knee and your vet believes that it is due to her luxating patella, then surgery would certainly be a reasonable option as long as she is otherwise healthy. Many older dogs have surgery for various conditions with no problems, provided that there are no underlying health issues (heart disease, kidney disease, etc.) that would increase the risk of anesthesia. If your dog does have some chronic health issues, I would recommend discussing the pros and cons of surgery with your vet.