# Advice, please



## Dottieven (Dec 6, 2013)

Our very lively and beautiful Cockapoo, Coco, started to skip on the rear right hind leg when she was a few months old. It has worsened and she has been diagnosed with luxating patella. On 3 November she is having surgery by an orthopaedic specialist recommended by our vet.

We are absolutely dreading it as she is such a chatty, happy, brave little soul and has to remain in a cage for a few weeks. The slightest jolt could mean the surgery has to be repeated. We are organising it that she will never be alone.

Has anyone any tips which might help? Especially keeping her calm in the cage and amused.

We would be so grateful. She is my daughter's dog and she is in her 30th week of pregnancy and is getting rather large, to say the least, so she too will need some help when her husband is away.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

There is a silver lining to this sort of thing which I learned when my mutt Max cut right through some ligaments in her leg when she came on what we suspect was some sort of trap in the forest. If I recall she had eight weeks of complete leg rest. First was that our bond became like cement, I spent much of the time with her on my lap. Second was she learned many "still" tricks. She could bark the answers to math problems, balance treats on her nose and that sort of thing. Third was she grew to love the car. I took her on many outings, just for something to do, and she always rode shotgun, clipped in so she would not move. It won't be easy, but you'll get through it. 

You might want to start now getting her acclimatized to traveling in a bag or backpack as well. Max was too big for that but a small cockapoo could do it.


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## emjon123 (Apr 9, 2013)

Bailey was diagnosed with Luxating patella earlier this year. She was about nine months. Our vet wanted to operate too but on the advice of her partner we decided to wait until Bailey was fully grown. She is now 16 months and her condition has settled greatly, so much so she might never need an operation.

I got great advice from 2ndhandgal at the time. Hopefully she will see this and get back to you.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Glad to hear Bailey is doing so well 

Molly was diagnosed at just under 2 and rather than surgery we opted first for physio to see if we could improve her muscle tone enough to hold her knee in place enough. My vet was sceptical but almost three years on and she is still doing well, with no limping and no pain.

It does depend on degree's though and Coco may need surgery - but physio may also be worth a try. 

We go to a specialist vets in Wales who deal with rehab and pain management and they agree with my local vet that Molly will probably need surgery at some point - but also that as long as she is happy and pain free we are avoiding surgery.

This is where we go to - it is around 2.5 hours drive for us but well worth it

http://www.smartvetwales.co.uk/ 

If she does need surgery then I would be making sure she is used to settling in a crate and introducing various activity toys like kongs and other types to occupy her time and brain.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Dexter used to skip quite a lot on his back leg too. He was examined by a specialist who advised us to wait and give him little and often excercise to build up the muscle and he grew out of it quite quickly. He has never had a problem since. He likened it to clicky hips (which my daughter had) which they can grow out of too. He also said sometimes it can be like a tick which sounded strange to me but he said he had seen it in toy dogs and Dexter is from a toy poodle and they grow out of that too.


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## Dottieven (Dec 6, 2013)

*Coco's luxating patella...*

Coco's operation had to be brought forward to last Thursday as her leg kept literally collapsing and the blood curdling screams left us in no doubt that it had become am emergency (surprisingly quickly).

Our vet had referred us to an orthopaedic specialust who confirmed that she does have the problem in both legs and was obviously reluctant to go ahead without clear evidence that it was necessary. He didn't do a traditional op - he was able to pin from beneath her knee. She was sleepy to begin with and also had had an epidural. 

Poor Coco is now on 6-8 weeks cage rest. She is wearing a collar which can't be substituted for one of those decent inflatable collars as her nose is long and poorly. She may build up to six 5 minute comfort walks a day and quickly learned to use her leg again. The stitches come out in 2 weeks. 

Strict diet for life so her waist can be seen and there is no fat around her ribs and 6 months till she can exercise off lead.

She is extremely sorry for herself and my daughter (her main human mummy) is stressed by her constant whining to get out and enjoy her usual high standard of life.

We have a reminder though in the pages of instructions she came home with - one false move and she could need the whole op repeated!

Thank you all so much for your support....


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Poor Coco - sounds like her knee was very bad indeed. Hope she is now over the worst and soon starts to recover


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Dottie I wish you the best for you, your daughter and Coco. You have had a lot on your plate. You must feel relieved now the op is complete and Coco is on the mend. Hope her recovery period goes quickly for you.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Coco is a very lucky girl that her family leapt into medical action when required. It does sound stressful but they'll get through it and the bond will be stronger for it. Best wishes to all of you.


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