ness

Like I said nic - take your time gather all the appropriate information and if you can't commit to the "rehab" for whatever reason then I wouldn't rush to do the surgery. It really comes down to how much of a problem it is for the dog. I have posted questions on one of the US orthodog list and there are dogs who have lived with grade 3 luxations for years and only ended up having surgery much later due to rupturing cruciates rather than the patella causing any problems. I ended up emailing Kenz's specialist just to double check on the not weight bearing over the weekend and he agreed it was probably just a combination of cold and a lack of activity and nothing to worry about. He did also say that if I was concerned at any stage then he was happy for me to bring her in and he would examine it but since she is still on rest I doubt she has done anything serious so we will wait. Today sort of marks the half way point of her strict confinement - a week since she had her stitches out so three weeks until she is due back for her next follow up. Not like I am counting or anything .

Mine is a CC Fusion and pretty sure Tassie's is a CC Fusion as well.

Yeah see DLL that is what all my "research" has suggested yet I am sure the specialist wouldn't lead me wrong and he wants 6 weeks strict rest now. Ah well - she is bored as anything at the moment - just back from another drive because it was that time of the night when she was play bowing and generally getting bratty. Need to go and walk the old girl soon but loathed to leave the feral at home until she is a little less feral.

Yep that is what I would be doing. Hope it works out :).

Oh and the other thing is ask as many questions as you need in order to feel comfortable with your decision. I was very scared about the post surgery time because Kenz is normally on the go all day and is very energetic. So far we are just over 2 and a bit weeks post surgery and she isn't doing badly. She is somewhat else to her routine and so long as she gets out for a little bit each day we are coping ok.

Grade 3 is the patella is more out then it is in and requires surgery (well its strongly recommended) - well so much as my unexpert reading on the subject is. I am not sure why you would need x-rays to diagnose a luxating patella. Kenz's was picked up by the chiro vet and it was relatively subtle. She was back to the specialist within 3 days and the specialist was able to cause the patella to luxate when he applied pressure. When I took her back 2 months later he was able to luxate it much more easily. He seemed to have a reasonable understanding by feel of how deep the groove was and didn't feel he would need to deepen it (although said he couldn't confirm exactly what he needed to do until she was under and he could see). I guess an x-ray may pick up arthritic changes already present in the knee but I wouldn't have thought they were required for making a decision as to whether you would opt for surgery. I know if they have to end up cutting bone an xray might be of value but I would guess thats at the yep we are going ahead with surgery decision not at the "diagnostic" step version. I certainly wouldn't be rushing to another set of xrays - maybe a consult with a specialist to discuss and then see what there view is based on what they can feel.

MG its my understanding that luxating patella surgery is a little different - I gather its a somewhat more routine surgery then something like Gibbs had. Nic I'd probably have a consult but go in with the view that your not in a rush for surgery. Kenz's specialist said to me its one of those surgery decisions that you can take time over. I was still wanting to see where her shoulder was going before rushing into surgery on the patella anyway so I sat on it a couple of months. I was also told it could be something she could live with for a number of years and for it to remain stable and as long as it wasn't impacting on her on her life then I could very well leave it indefinitely. Kenz had 2 consults specifically to discuss the patella surgery (one when it was originally diagnosed and another one the week before the surgery) plus a number of emails with the specialist over the intervening time.

I am forever playing with Kenz's ear fluff whenever she has a physio or massage appointment and she is laying still while they work on whatever they are doing I normally sit there plucking ear fluff.

You go with what the height card says. Kenz was trained at 500 when she started as it was easier training 2 dogs in the same height class and she also jumps better at 500 (and I presumed she would probably end up a 500 dog as you do when you have a BC ). Under the last version of the rules prior to the latest version there was also the option of jumping your dog up a height class if you wished. This option was removed with the latest rule change.

Nic I was quoted between $2500 and $2800 for Kenz and she was done at the specialist. I know people who have had little dogs done at normal vet clinics for less. RosieFT posted the consult price for Rivergum which was $145 (or thereabouts) . That price is similar to what I paid for a first consult at the specialists here. I have 2 dogs its a matter of managing it and crating or otherwise separating them. I have been told to at least count on 4 months back to normal activity but I have read it can take as much as 6 months. Not sure you would really want to be boarding a dog for that length of time. The strict rest phase seems to be 6-8 weeks (and Kenz had no bone cut so we don't have any bone healing to occur). Do you know what grade his knees were? Kenz's started out a grade 2 and borderline for surgery but deteriorated over the course of 2 months to a high grade 2. Given all I wanted to do with her there was no real question that surgery was inevitable and I was just delaying things by holding off. Grade 2 doesn't always need surgery and lots of little dogs live with the occasional skip. The specialist said the decision was in my hands and it was more the impact it was having on Kenz and given all I wanted to do with her. If she was a couch potato then I probably wouldn't have and we would just have continued on as we were.

Now see if I was going to get a gundog I think I have my eye on one of those red ones . I am sure Ptolomy won't notice if I dognap one - the question would be though who do I dognap .

thanks.

Hmmm just a super thin comb - I have a flea comb but I also have a normal fine comb. This computer isn't operating with links but I just picked up one from petstock . I don't use a stripping knife I just take the hair between my fingers and pluck it. The dead stuff comes away easily enough without hurting the dog. Kenz is doing ok - kind of . Nearly 3 weeks down, 3 weeks to go . Well no more then 3 weeks but I think we might get to start with short walks in 3 weeks. Doing nothing is actually easy I am not sure controlling her and doing small amounts will be quite so easy.

Congratulations RS and TSD on your retrieving results. Fantastic work.

BC Crazy I use PP shampoo but a CC brush . I use a thin comb behind the ears but mostly I just hand strip them.

Will try and get over - not sure though Kenz might protest loudly from the back of the car and still might be to much excitement for her .

RJ I have the email from Piper - well I did but I skimmed it because Kenz is out of action and I don't have my laptop functioning at the moment to be able to go back and check. I thought if there was an instinct test this weekend and I was intending on heading out to SACA this weekend for another reason I might as well coincide the two and come and watch the herding for a bit.

Instinct test when RJ?? If they are at DogSA I might come out.

Tassie I wasn't game to admit it I thought it was just me although I am mega careful with stuff. I thought for that price you might have thought the pins would be a little more durable.

I was a little disappointed in my expensive CC brush. I look after things well and yet found the pins bent very easily. I also have a PP metro brush which I use quite a bit.

Kenz seems to only have the problem on the one side so I don't need to worry about doing them both at the same time. I have read information re that though and if you have a small dog I can think it might be much more manageable to do them both. I have come across information with people having them both done at the same time without to many issues.

I have a nearly 12 year old BC and Kenz has just turned 4 recently. I would have preferred less of an age gap but its ok because they are both more bonded to me then they are to each other.

Nope Leema - my understanding at least here is so long as the dog is 16 months of age then its valid. Kenz didn't trial until she was at least 2 and a bit. ETA. Sorry tollersowned I didn't mean to make it sound like you would be dishonest. Thanks for clarifying what you meant.

Some stunning photos Piper. I was going to make a comment about the one you posted on FB but love the ones you have posted in this thread :).

But if he had been measured at 500 and you entered him in 400 then regardless of if it was questioned or not I could see issues. There was a sheltie here who was running in 500 as it had been measured as a 500 dog and who was remeasured as a 400 dog. Its a large sheltie and its bigger then my BC so I do wonder if its truely a 400 dog but I also don't think its fair that a sheltie should be jumping 500.