Has anyone had their dog go in for surgery for a luxating patella? My 3 year old pug had the surgery done on wednesday and I have been so worried about her. Her bandages keep slipping off, she keeps trying to walk on her bad leg and she is only urinating once a day (she is hardly drinking). She isn't supposed to put any pressure on her leg but she is sleeping with her full body weight on it! I can move her when I am here but if I am asleep or at work I can't be there to correct her.

The vet doesn't seem too worried by any of this and just keeps telling me to keep her in her crate, which I am doing. I can't help but panic though, I would hate to think I put the dog through so much pain and the knee still give her grief after 6 weeks of box rest.

My J/R cross has a luxating patella in one of his legs but it only pops out occasionally and after a couple of minutes of him limping seems to pop back in again. The vet has manipulated it himself but as it is causing no pain we were advised to just keep an eye on him at the moment, I am sorry I can't be more help but give her a big kiss on her snuffley nose from me.

Your wee Pugs routine has changed - if she was stressed she'd drink more - they are quite good at taking in what they need. But I used to add a spoonful of tea or drop of milk to the drinking water to get them to drink more . Is she on painkillers - mine gets sleepy if she's on a high dose and I need to remind her to drink.

My wee one (12 yr old Westie) had a hip operation at 10 months (legg perthes) leaving one back leg shorter; intermittent lameness at 8yrs old (x rays showed arthritis in knees) and just before xmas busted a cruciate ligament. (Two months under house and garden arrest - lifting up and down stairs etc) didnt stop her trying to walk on her leg or sleeping on it. They are often more resiliant than we think. Today she was back to chasing aeroplanes out of the sky.

I'm sure your wee one will be fine in the long term - plenty of cudddles and massages

Thanks for replies. Unfortunately she is still doing very badly, and developed an ulcer in her eye so she has been at the vets for two days being treated girlfrommars this is not a surgery for the faint hearted! I was supposed to go away over the Easter break but I am staying home to nurse my little puggy back to health. Catybash I tried her with milk, I even tried her with the juices from a roast chicken and she still turned her nose up! But good to hear that your one made a full recovery from all of his problems despite using the leg occasionally - I think they tell us complete box rest so daft people don't get the wrong idea and start taking their dogs for hour long walks the week after surgery! Hopefully she will be more comfortable when she gets home from the vet (hopefully tomorrow).

How is your little girl doing pugamo ?

Thanks for asking girlfrommars. She's home now - she had to have an operation to have her third eyelid sown over after developing the ulcer. Her other eye somehow got damaged/infected too (we think she bashed her head against her cage in the vet when she had the collar on and hurt her eye) and its being treated with antibiotics and eye drops. Her stitches are out of her leg and it seems to be healing nicely. She isn't happy about being crated but she's doing ok. She is drinking and eating, not a lot, but that doesn't really matter as she isn't allowed to exercise at all apart from a few steps when she goes outside to toilet, so she doesn't need a lot of food. I have her on an inflammatory painkiller now and that's all, I don't think she needs Tramadol anymore. It's been a long road but we are getting there! Hopefully your dog never needs to have the surgery done but if he does make sure you book a holiday from work as the recuperation is slow and tiring for both dog and owner!

Glad to hear she's on the mend - hopefully your & her stress levels have gone down x

Hi,
pugamo how is your little girl doing? All healed up I hope.
I am resurrecting this thread in the hope that you or anyone else can offer me any advice or tips. After posting on this thread that my J/R cross had a Luxating Patella and was told by the vet just to keep an eye on him, it has been getting worse and after another visit to the vet today we have been told that it is best that he has an operation. He is booked in on the 14th of June and I am so worried about him.