# Important Info on Luxating Patella



## PeanutButter (Feb 16, 2005)

A few days ago I posted a Topic on Peanut, there was something wrong with his leg and some people suggested that it was luxating patella.
I saw the post on this topic, but I did not read the information that my Vet told me.

Peanut has Bilateral Luxating Patella (8 months old). His original Vet wanted to charge me $200 for x-rays alone, so I went to this Vet that I was recommended to go to. He looked at Peanut and told me he did indeed have luxating patella on both legs but that there was hope that he wouldnt need surgery.

There is this pill (not a vitamin or mineral, they are not sure what category it lies on) but its supposed to help dogs with Luxating Patella and arthritis.

Glucosamine (I had never heard of it before, but apparently my father takes it  ) 
The Vet told me to buy Glucosamine pills which include Chondroitin and MSM. They are a combination of ingredients for joint support. 

The good thing is that 80% of the dogs they experimented this with did not have to have surgery. This also is being used on people.

In 3 months I am supposed to see results and find out if Peanut is going to need surgery.

I hope this info helps 

-Yael


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## Seiah Bobo (Mar 31, 2005)

Yea it does...Seiah has a slight case of it in one of his legs. I will definitely bring this up when I go to the Vet again.


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## ilovesadie (Jun 1, 2004)

Hi there, I've brought this up several times with vets and radiologists in the past. Glucosamine and chondroitin is intended to slow cartilage damage that causes joint problems such as with hip dysplasia. In the knee, the cartilage in between the patella and the knee socket is usually not what is causing the luxation in young dogs, it has more to do with the socket conformation or tendon location itself, and unless the dog has arthritis or some other degenerative joint disease along the stifle, the glucosamine/chondroitin is not likely to play a huge role in improving luxating patella in young dogs. I can see the benefit for an older dog to take G/C supplements if the patellas are aggravated by arthritis, but otherwise, none of us can understand how it might help. 

The only studies that I have been able to find on AVMA, JAVMA, and VIN are related to using glucosamine for arthritis and osteochondritis. Perhaps I am missing something, I would love to know which article/experiment your vet obtained the information from so that I could read up. If it helps out your dog, that would be wonderful! It would be great if small dogs had a way to avoid painful surgery with daily supplements. However, if G/C was the simple answer for 80% of patellar luxation cases, I think it would have been published as an effective treatment. My only guess is that chronic luxations can cause some joint cartilage problems, and supplementing with G/C buys the joints some time before arthritis occurs so that surgery is not as necessary, but does not solve the luxation problem. 

Confused, Curious, and Thinking a Million Miles a Minute. -Nate


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## dastowers (Mar 24, 2005)

I really don't have anything medical to add, but Walmart now carries a treat that is called "Daily Smart Bites" made by Ol'Roy. They have :

Glucosamine (min) 350 ppm
Chonodroitin sulfate (min) 200ppm
Omega 3 fatty accids (min) 0.60 %
Vitamin E (min) 125 iu/kg
Ascorbic Acid (vitamin c) min 40 mg/kg
Crude Protein 12%
Crude Fat (min) 4.50%
Crude Fiber (max) 3.5 % 
Moisture (max) 30%

For dogs over 12 months. First ingredient Chicken then corn flour. Feed one per 20 pounds per day.
Price Paid - Approx $3 for 8 ounces.

I bought them for my GSD X, who loves them. Pebblz the Chi isn't even interested. (not that I would allow her to eat them, she is just a puppy) :lol: :lol: 

Davena


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## Frasier's Mommy (Jan 30, 2005)

I got hurt at the gym and went on glucosamine. It was for my knee. I got results but my injury was cartiledge related, not a bone or joint.

I hope your little guy is all well quickly.


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## KB (Apr 13, 2004)

it helps keeps the joints and ligaments lubricated and healthy. That alone can minimize/eliminate the pain associated with arthritis and related inflammations due to injuries etc........

it cannot of course make a bone better etc that is not fitting in a socket incorrectly. 

Both my dogs are on it and will remain on it. If it can help the arthritis part from getting started - then you ARE helping the cause from another angel...

The thing most people dont know is that you can increase the dosage if need be, there is no "overdosing" as people may think.


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## luv4mygirls (Feb 20, 2005)

my co-workers dog (chow/lab/pit mix) is only a month or so over 1 years old and she just brought her in to be examined because she was having trouble getting up and down off the couch (i know it's early for her to have this problem poor baby!) and it turned out that she has early stages of hip dysplasia and a luxating patella, so the specialist put her on cosequin (glucosamine and chondroitin are 2 of the ingredients...) and rimadyl.... she hopes that this will prevent further damage and the need for surgery.... poor daquiri


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## KB (Apr 13, 2004)

luvmypuppet said:


> my co-workers dog (chow/lab/pit mix) is only a month or so over 1 years old and she just brought her in to be examined because she was having trouble getting up and down off the couch (i know it's early for her to have this problem poor baby!) and it turned out that she has early stages of hip dysplasia and a luxating patella, so the specialist put her on cosequin (glucosamine and chondroitin are 2 of the ingredients...) and rimadyl.... she hopes that this will prevent further damage and the need for surgery.... poor daquiri


tell her to watch the rimadyl and get the liver checked regularly!


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## luv4mygirls (Feb 20, 2005)

yeah we always check blood levels when a patient goes on carprofen. it's too risky not to check, plus she won't be on it long term, jsut for a few weeks and then she'll be weaned off and see how she does from there.....

thanks for the concern :wave:


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

Definately bring it up to your vet, but both Tequila and Kylie take Glucosamine, actually the product name is Cosequin. It has Glucosamine, Sudium Chondroitin Sulfate, Ascorbate, and Manganese. The one I have is for small dogs and I sprinkle a half a capsule into their food once a day. I also have Ligaplex. There is two forms....Ligaplex I and Ligaplex II.
Ligaplex I is for receint injuries and you only take it for a certain amount of time and then u switch to Ligaplex II which is for cronic problems. Kylie takes the Ligaplex II. Tequila no longer needs it. 
Tequila also got Adequan Injections before and after her knee surgery. They gave her one shot about a week before and the remaining 12 after. The combo of everything I think really helped her. She also had luxating patella surgery and today is a new dog. You would never know she had knee surgery and the vet has cleared her to do agility again. 
If (or I should say when) Kylie has her luxating patella surgery I will use the same products and cross my fingers it helps her. 
If you do end up having the surgery there is a product called Tramiel. It is a tablet or a cream and it cuts the time of bruising in half! I used it on Tequila because after knee surgery you have TONS of bruising and swelling and it went away real quick. 

Sorry I am kindof a pharamcy over here, but thats because I worked at a vet-rehabilitation center and all we saw were post-surgery patients. 

Hope this helped!
-Jessica

PS - I really hope your chi doesnt need the surgery! I will keep my fingers crossed


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## PeanutButter (Feb 16, 2005)

Im not sure the name of the study, but I will ask him and post it later. 
The Vet said that since they are still doing studies on Glucosamine and the effects/help it can have on certain disorders on animals/people they are still not able to say it will work. This is because it has not yet been evauated by the Food and Drug Administration. 

According to the Vet, since Peanut is still growing, there is a chance that the pills will help him build new cartilage, synovial fluid and other connective tissues. When I asked him when he will need surgery, he simply said that we should wait 3 months before taking about it because there is hope that he will get better. 

There is a case on the study he showed me of a surgen who started to get pains on his fingers and he was of the lucky ones that showed improvement after only 2 weeks. The Vets mother was told by her doctor that she needed to get her leg amputated, her son told her to take these pills and a year later, the doctor told her that she was fine and that she didnt need the surgery. This was 10 years ago, and she is now 81.

I am also very confused but hope it does work for him.


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## ilovesadie (Jun 1, 2004)

Angel, I'm so glad your dogs are doing great and I wish Kylie a speedy recovery as well. I apologize however, that your little one had to endure so many Adequan injections! Adequan is so thick and hurts like hell when we give it IM. Glad it helped in the long run =)

-Nate


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

Thanx!
What i was told about the Adequan was that it was a series of shots...the first a week before, the second a week after, then 2x a week for the remaining 3wks and then once a month for 4 months, giving us a grand total of 5 months...I was able to give it SQ and with an insalin needle (spelling??) She never complained once. I did notice it was thick though because it was hard to draw up...but she only got 0.15CC anyway...thank god I have small dogs...lol...each shot cost about 5 bucks.


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## mjstett (Mar 24, 2004)

thx for posting that
michael


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## TiffsLilChi (Mar 31, 2005)

Thank you so much for posting this information. I'm going to let my mom know about this asap. Her chi Suki Su just turned 1yr old. and a few months ago she had to have surgury for that problem. It cost her $600. She know has it in the other leg too. She doesn't want her to go through that again. This info will help a lot thank you!!
*Tiff


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