Dog help - luxating patella?

[adventure_woman]

We have a pug puppy - 9 months old. First, I am going to take her to the vet and probably get a second opinion from another vet, but I wanted to get questions/have a little knowledge first!

She has a knee problem. After looking it up online, I'm guessing it is a luxating patella. It happens occasionally - it doesn't seem to bother her (she doesn't cry or yelp or anything). She is just walking, and then all of a sudden lifts her back leg up. Typically it is her left leg, now sometimes her right. I usually pick her up and massage her leg and then she is fine and runs off and chases the next squirrel or something!

So my questions are - typically what is done for this? She is so young, which is what really concerns me because I figure it will only get worse. She doesn't do our stairs (but trying to keep her from not jumping or running around would be a joke). What type of questions should I ask the vet about this?

Just trying to be prepared before she goes into the dr!

 

[LoriKutchey]

My maltese has had this since she was a pup and now she is 13. It only happens sometimes and when she is running only. Yes its a luxating patella. Our vet diagnosed it as a puppy and just rechecks it every year. It only happens once in awhile and doesnt seem to bother her so the vet said to leave it alone until it starts bothering her.
BTW, I am very anal about my dog, her last check up the vet mentioned she detected a heart murmur in her and this happens sometimes when they get older. I asked for a referral to a vet cardiologist and had an ultrasound done just to be sure it was okay to monitor. So truly in my case the luxating patella was nothing to get worried over.

 

[LJSquishy]

The vet should be able to diagnose what grade it is and whether surgery is in the near future or not. I have two Maltese, one with a grade 1 luxating patella. Several years from now she may need surgery, but right now there is no inflammation and the knee pops back into place.

It does sound like luxating patella to me, and you will want to try and limit your dog from jumping up/down furniture, etc as much as possible. A glucosamine supplement may help also.

If your vet does diagnose with LP, surgery runs about $1,500 per leg generally when it is all said and done. It is a long road to go down but surgery is successful (you still have to limit jumping even after surgery because it can be reinsured).