I just keep second guessing myself on this. so I was wanting to hear what you would do in the situation.
Mia has bilateral luxating patellas. She's 4 and a couple months now and they're both mid to high grade luxations. She runs and jumps and plays and is absolutely FINE. I've taken her to two vets and both said they would not do surgery at all. They only recommend surgery if quality of life is diminished.
I feel bad sometimes while reading things online like I should be doing something more. The vet wants Mia kept at a good weight and wants her to stay very very active. He told me that Mia's rear being so muscled is helping her knees not pop out as much. She's on joint supplements and we do some exercise to build up muscles.
I have never seen her do the classic skip a step that tends to let people know their dog has luxating patellas. She's never been lame at all. I think sometimes I see her move a little funny but then I don't know if I am being paranoid because I'll watch Summer and other dogs and see the same weird movements. I just seem to overanalyze Mia's every move. You can feel her knees pop if you manually move her leg around. Her rear definitely doesn't seem as stable overall as Summer's. But she's happy and active and can still do everything she loves.
I just sometimes feel like I should do preventative surgery. I hear though both from people in real life that have done the surgery, my vet, and reading online that surgery can sometimes leave a dog even more lame than before. Since she's not lame at all, I don't know.... Vet tells me I shouldn't worry at all at this point.
My vet has had patients, especially toy dogs, that never are lame. Some do need surgery. I have a fund put away saved for Mia's knees just in case.
I just want to do what is best for her, you know? But I just don't know what the best is. I guess the main concern is arthritis building up but that seems fairly inevitable either way. I read some things saying surgery helps prevent that then other things saying it doesn't.
And yea... I don't know what to do. Both the traditional and the more 'all natural' vet say don't do surgery, so I guess I shouldn't. But I feel guilty.
Mia has bilateral luxating patellas. She's 4 and a couple months now and they're both mid to high grade luxations. She runs and jumps and plays and is absolutely FINE. I've taken her to two vets and both said they would not do surgery at all. They only recommend surgery if quality of life is diminished.
I feel bad sometimes while reading things online like I should be doing something more. The vet wants Mia kept at a good weight and wants her to stay very very active. He told me that Mia's rear being so muscled is helping her knees not pop out as much. She's on joint supplements and we do some exercise to build up muscles.
I have never seen her do the classic skip a step that tends to let people know their dog has luxating patellas. She's never been lame at all. I think sometimes I see her move a little funny but then I don't know if I am being paranoid because I'll watch Summer and other dogs and see the same weird movements. I just seem to overanalyze Mia's every move. You can feel her knees pop if you manually move her leg around. Her rear definitely doesn't seem as stable overall as Summer's. But she's happy and active and can still do everything she loves.
I just sometimes feel like I should do preventative surgery. I hear though both from people in real life that have done the surgery, my vet, and reading online that surgery can sometimes leave a dog even more lame than before. Since she's not lame at all, I don't know.... Vet tells me I shouldn't worry at all at this point.
My vet has had patients, especially toy dogs, that never are lame. Some do need surgery. I have a fund put away saved for Mia's knees just in case.
I just want to do what is best for her, you know? But I just don't know what the best is. I guess the main concern is arthritis building up but that seems fairly inevitable either way. I read some things saying surgery helps prevent that then other things saying it doesn't.
And yea... I don't know what to do. Both the traditional and the more 'all natural' vet say don't do surgery, so I guess I shouldn't. But I feel guilty.