Mollyrulz

Thanks for your concern... Molly is now 21 mths old - has been with me for about 5 mths now. Been the first dog I ever owned in my life, I had no idea what to ask when I wanted a dog from the shelter. Now I have her (both my kids & husband adore her), I want to do the best by her. What sort of supplement shd I give her? According to the Vet, there is really nothing to do except surgery for her and she will contact a "specialist" who will come into her clinic to have it done - is that b'cos most Vets can't do this operation? Thanks

My Moodle (maltese poodle), Molly which I rescued from a shelter has been doagnosed with Luxating Patella. According to the Vet, it is common among small breed of dogs. When I got Molly at approx 16 mths of age, I never knew her history and I never asked whether she had this condition. I only found out a few days ago after she started to limp and could not straighten her right hind leg after her tug-rope game...yes, she can get pretty when playing this AND when chasing her tennis ball ... she loves "activity" that is fast, rough. She's not your normal placid girl... but we still love her to bits! My query: - Would she have developed this condition from young ie when she was a pup? - Could it have come from a fall? She seems in no pain - just take a few minutes and she's fine to run again, then it can lock up and then she's fine again... it's only happened in the last few days so I took her to my Vet who has prescribed anti-inflammatory for 1 week. I have been asked to monitor her condition as she will probably need surgery. Vet said that IF surgery performed, she must be kept very quiet - a BIG challenge as Molly is very active (and even Vet acknowledges that!). My other query: - Has anyone had the surgery done? - Did the dog recover and have NO issues after? - How long before actual damage is done (arthiritis etc) if I hold off the operation? - Is sedation ok for a dog to keep her from "activity" otherwise how do I keep her quiet for 1 month as I have to go to work each day? SORRY for the long post - any information/suggestion greatly appreciated.

Yes - it is to help you control her. And it's not about "pulling her back when she jumps on people", it's about preventing the behaviour in the first place. The bed won't serve as a crate will as it does not contain her and leaves her free to dance around and perpetuate her excitement.

Thanks Erny.I don't have a crate but she has an "inside" doggie bed which she knows to sit in there when she comes in. I only let her into the house in the weekend after I bath her as we all work during the week and my kids are at Uni and also work part-time. She knows to go straight to that bed after her bath and sit there without being told. Will that bed serve as a crate? Why do you recommend a lead when inside - is that to "control" her ie pull her back when she jumps on people?

My 17 mths old, maltese x poodle which I adopted from Petrescue.com is a lovely dog but highly excitable!! After been with us for 1 month, she recently started to "pee" when people come to our house cos she is sooo excited. She did it inside my house even though she has never had an accident when she has been in the house - I only introduced her inside the house after 2 weeks as I was not sure whether she was toilet trained!! She jumps up on friends when they visit even though I say, "no" and that's when she does her little 'accident"... after 5-10 mins, she usually calms down and sits really nicely! I only noticed cos she only started last weekend - prior to that, even though she was excited, she didn't pee but she would jump on people and try to lick them, etc, etc. My question is IS THIS NORMAL - peeing when excited?? ... I know now to keep her outside when I have visitors (and she even did it yesterday when someone came AND she was outside) and in future, to tell friends NOT to say hello to her until she calms down. As a rule, I don't go out & greet her straight away when I come home from work as she is too excited then - she has learnt that I only come to her when she has calmed down AND is sitting waiting for me.. BUT I don't know how to get her to control herself when other people visit - like I said, yesterday she was outside and the visitor was inside and she still lost control cos she was excited!! Any suggestions???