# luxating patella surgery help



## Onyx (Nov 28, 2011)

So since Onyx has a high grade of LP and skips quite a bit, surgery was recommended. I have a couple questions though. For those of you who did this surgery for your dog, how long did it take your Chi to heal and when were they able to walk normally again? What special care did you have to go through?

Also, if you have more than one dog, how did you get the other dog(s) to leave your healing dog alone?

I'm just a little worried and not sure what to expect if I do this. Plus, I hate surgery lol.


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

You might perform a Search on the forum ... there is alot of information on this type of surgery......

My journey(actually Chico's) can be found *HERE*

in Chico's post I have the VET bills laid out, Xray pics, and his surgery site pics.... hope this helps some......




,


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## Jerry'sMom (May 5, 2009)

here is Tabitha's story: http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chi...y-pictures-luxating-patella-knee-surgery.html


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

The greatest thing for me was a puppy playpen. Kept the other dogs away when I wasn't there to watch. Iris white plastic pen. Foster & Smith has it in their catalog. They healed well. I had to watch them from getting to the stitches. That was a pain. They were real lickers!


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## Onyx (Nov 28, 2011)

Thank you everyone. Great info and those threads were very helpful!


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## Lisa T (Sep 3, 2010)

Hello, Bella is 12 weeks post surgery from a tibial crest transposition for her grade 4 LP and I would like to reassure you it has not been half as bad as I had imagined. Preparation is the key, I purchased a play pen, babygro's, doggy steps and a stair gate well before op day so she was used to seeing them. Bella was up and about almost straight away and was allowed three five minute walks a day, every vet has different opinions on this but mine encourages gentle exercise from day 1 and this did make life easier for us as she was toileting as normal. We do have another dog who tried to engage her in play so we just ensured when she was out of her play pen they were supervised. We saw an improvement in Bella's gait almost immediately and the skipping has now stopped completely. I have started her on a good quality joint supplement and also she has started swimming twice weekly. It was a difficult decision to go ahead with the surgery but looking back we didn't have a lot of choice and it was the right one. I have read other peoples surgery journeys on here and I feel that ours appeared to be a lot easier than what others experienced and I wish this to be the case for you too. Good luck.


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## Onyx (Nov 28, 2011)

Lisa T said:


> Hello, Bella is 12 weeks post surgery from a tibial crest transposition for her grade 4 LP and I would like to reassure you it has not been half as bad as I had imagined. Preparation is the key, I purchased a play pen, babygro's, doggy steps and a stair gate well before op day so she was used to seeing them. Bella was up and about almost straight away and was allowed three five minute walks a day, every vet has different opinions on this but mine encourages gentle exercise from day 1 and this did make life easier for us as she was toileting as normal. We do have another dog who tried to engage her in play so we just ensured when she was out of her play pen they were supervised. We saw an improvement in Bella's gait almost immediately and the skipping has now stopped completely. I have started her on a good quality joint supplement and also she has started swimming twice weekly. It was a difficult decision to go ahead with the surgery but looking back we didn't have a lot of choice and it was the right one. I have read other peoples surgery journeys on here and I feel that ours appeared to be a lot easier than what others experienced and I wish this to be the case for you too. Good luck.


Thanks, makes me feel a little better to hear people have success with the surgery.

Definitely planned on getting her a pen and stairs. She's already on a joint supplement. I see a lot of people say their dogs try to lick the stitches a lot. Unfortunately I won't be home 100% of the time. I go to college Monday-Thursday and I go for about 4 hours. Should I put a cone on her while I'm gone? I'm thinking about setting up a web cam so I can check up on her on my lap top haha, paranoid much?


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## Lisa T (Sep 3, 2010)

Yes you could use a cone when your not there or put on a little back to front babygro which is what I did. I don't think the webcam is a bad idea either, whatever makes life easier that's what I say and if that makes you feel better why not. PS forgot to mention that despite watching her carefully Bella took 3 of her own stitches out, naughty girl.


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