Get a 2nd opion today...

Our 13+ year old Jack Russell has had issues with a stressed back over the years, primarily from jumping and racing around in a turbo and then sliding across the wood floor and slamming into a wall. After a couple of treatments with Prednisone I decided there had to be something better. Fortunately in my home town we have a veterinarian who is a licensed veterinary acupuncturist, and twice this has worked wonders. Our regular vet knows this is what we do and he is in full agreement, that if it works we should stay with it as a treatment when needed.

Cost for our chrio was twenty dollar per vist whent 3 times

I think most people, including myself think jumping for dogs is natural but as with humans they can get sprained muscles or worse if they land wrong. I built a carpeted ramp for our dogs to get in the back of the high F-350 but they always jumped out. When our newly adopted 90+ # Rotti jumped down I saw her flinch and she had a slight limp on her front leg for a few days. Now they "stay" until I set the ramp and they all now walk down. It was lucky I saw her flinch so I learned not to allow anymore jumping .... :)

My guess: Luxated patella, really common in chis and many small dogs. It Doesn't usually show as a puppy, but happens later when the tendon slips out of the groove in the knee that it is supposed to 'ride" in. The groove is so shallow (genetic) that it is easy for the tendon to jump ship. Our little Poquita lived with it for 15 years, no surgery. I learned how to put it back in place (per vet) and we got along like that for her whole life. At 7 yrs of age, we took her to an ortho surgeon vet who took x-rays and said if the tendon is in place at time of x-ray, the problem is not viewable. Knee was in place. That vet advised us to leave it alone but told us she would eventually develop arthritis, which she did. We just accommodated to her at that point and she rode in a stroller for walks the last few years and also was on pain meds as needed. I could tell by looking at her eyes if she need the pain meds. The associated pain/discomfort was so much "her normal" that she still "helped" us by jumping a little when we picked her up until that final trip to the vet. Look up luxated patella on the web. Many dogs lead happy lives in spite of it.

dturm -

Good pont about the chiropractor.

You said " Many small dogs don't need any surgery at all in my opinion. It will take several weeks to regain function without pain." I agree I avoid surgery (28 years ago and still walking on my bad knee) so would like to do the same for Spaarky a 9 pound Chihuahua.

JAXFL wrote:
Driver75 -

Just a regular chiropactor ? can I ask what that cost?

Practice acts vary by state. In Indiana, a licensed chiropractor can work on animals under the direction of a licensed veterinarian. I would make sure that the chiropractor has been trained on the appropriate species, being trained on people has only a general application to work on other species - they could potentially cause more harm than good.

Driver75 -

Just a regular chiropactor ? can I ask what that cost?

I had a similar incident and the vet told me that I could us a cart or put the dog down. I was talking with some gals in the office and they told me to see a chiropactor I just laughed but did it any way to make a long store short in about a week the dog was going real well and did not have any more problems.

History and symptoms are pretty typical of an ACL or meniscus injury. X-Rays don't always show these injuries, the only way to see for sure is an MRI/CT scan (talk about money). We get very a good guess with manipulation of the knee joint, that's usually all that's necessary.

When comparing costs of knee surgeries it's important to compare the procedures that are being done. A TPLO surgery is different from a lateral imbrication. Many small dogs don't need any surgery at all in my opinion. It will take several weeks to regain function without pain. The long term benefits are much less universal than I like to see with that major a surgery.

The major reasons for surgery are pain, lack of improvement, lack of functionality (major instability)of the limb and size of the dog (larger than 20-40# much more likely to need surgery).

Doug, DVM

Kinda pricey there jax. I have had 2 small dogs with knee surgery. both were in the 450 range. Seems your vet has no idea what is the problem and I would suggest another. On SS blvd there is an emergency vet that has great vets. I would definitely seek a second opinion.