luxating Patella

I would like to start this thread because we have researched this again and again and there realy is not much out there. So I would like to post this for anyone else that is in our shoes can have some type of information on this.

On Thursday September 1, 2011 our little girl Gracie had surgery on both of her hind legs. Her right leg was at a stage 3 and her left was at a stage 2. We dropped her off at 7 am and told us is they would call after the surgery was done. Now let me tell you leaving our little girl was not easy nor was it easy on her brother Bailey. It was very difficult on our Bailey seeing how they have not been seperated since birth. On the Friday we were not only worring about our little girl we were worring about Bailey, he was just lying around not eating not acting like himself he was missing his sister.

Finally around 2:00 we received the call from the surgeon. They had to deepen the groove in both knees and tighten the muscles surrounding the knee cap. the surgeon said he felt everything went well and we should be able to pick up Gracie on Friday.

Thursday night we called to check on gracie because she had to stay overnight, they said she was doing well putting some weight on her legs didn't want to eat which was normal because of the meds she was on. She was on a epidural drip for the pain.

We picked gracie up around 3:00 after all of the post op instructions we were able to bring her home


For the rest of Friday she was pretty much quiet and slept. She is on Tramadol 2-3 times a day for the pain and Carprofen 1-2 times a day for the inflammation. Also heat on the knees 3-4 times a day. We are running face clothes under hot water and putting them in baggies then appying them to her knees 3-4 times a day.

When we take her out to pee we are putting a towel under her belly to give her support.

So it is Monday Sept 5 4 days after surgery Gracie is almost back to normal. She is still favoring her right leg a little. But all and all looking good. Definetly not what I expected.

Bailey is very happy to have his sister back even thought she is being a little fresh to him.

I am going to keep up with her progress because I know there is not much out there on this procedure and I want to put peoples mind at ease. I know my husband and I were both a pyhisical wreck about this whole situation and if I can ease peoples mind about this situation they are further ahead than we were.

Thank you for your post

i was looking specifically on how cavaliers do with the surgery and thank you so much for your post. it has eased my mind. My boy is going to have the surgery on monday and i hope we will have an equally good result. when they kept her overnight - did they hve a 24 hr facility - i am wreck thinking of all the things that can go wrong here.

also when she came home did she have a full on cast or just some dressing. our vet said there wont be a full on cast as its much more comfortable for the pups and they should excercise the knee. but i have seen pictures only of the dogs with the cast. our vet is a orthopedic surgeon.

I know how you feel my Ebony had a Grade 3 Luxating Patella and had the operation in April. I was also a nervous wreck. We had a good surgeon and he done a great job. As she has lost 50% of her muscle she had to do 3 month of Hydro. But I was amazed how quick she bounced back. The only thing that surprises me that you have to put heat on her leg as I had to do ice packs 3 times a day.

There is lots of info on this Forum.

This was her scar just after 2 weeks

My boy had patella surgery in january , I was very reluctant as he lost a front leg after elbow surgery but he coped very well with the operation , he was running about on two legs with the help of a support harness and favoring the operated leg within a few weeks.

He had the pins removed after 12 weeks as they where bothering him but has been fine since.

we wern't advised to put any ice packs or anything on him and he didnt have any pain meds after the first week as they made him sick and he is quite stoic anyway.

If I'd known what a difference it would make i'd have had it done much sooner , he now wants to go out for walks instead of sitting in his bed looking miserable

I move this thread over to the health forum, because I think it might get overlooked if left in the introductions! This is always an area of broad interest as a lot of our cavaliers end up needing the surgery.

Thanks, Doreen, for starting this (and Karlin, for switching its location). Our first cavalier had knee surgery back in the early 1970s. She healed well, but crate-rest was essential. Thereafter, my mother referred to her as the dog with the golden leg, mainly because of the cost of the surgery, which exceeded what my mother paid to buy her.

hi, my boy jazz had surgery on his right leg. its day two and he screams in pain if he accidently set the foot down. he has been hopping on threee legs - is this normal?

giggles said:

hi, my boy jazz had surgery on his right leg. its day two and he screams in pain if he accidently set the foot down. he has been hopping on threee legs - is this normal?

Click to expand...

Has he had the operation for luxating patella? Ebony hobbled on three legs but from day one she also used the bad leg a little bit but she didn’t scream. I am not sure if that screaming is right. What pain medication is he on? Ebony was on morphine after the operation. If I would be you I ring your vet.

giggles said:

hi, my boy jazz had surgery on his right leg. its day two and he screams in pain if he accidently set the foot down. he has been hopping on threee legs - is this normal?

Click to expand...

Has he had the operation for luxating patella? Ebony hobbled on three legs but from day one she also used the bad leg a little bit but she didn’t scream. I am not sure if that screaming is right. What pain medication is he on? Ebony was on morphine after the operation. If I would be you I ring your vet.