Help pls- Luxating Patella (WA) vet suggestions?

[Tinkzwa]

Hello fellow dog lovers,

 

Been reading for a while but first time poster.

 

Recently had a traumatic experience with my fur baby (Pomchoodle who is about one a half years old) and was hoping to tap into the knowledge of this forum. Had an episode where her back leg spasmed out of nowhere. Freaked out and brought her to the vet straight away and they said it was most likely due to a Luxating patella and suggested surgery as it would most likely happen again. Just wondering if there is anyone in Western Australia who has had the surgery done and how their experience was after and also if there was any suggestions for a vet surgeon who would be best for this?

 

TL;DR: Any suggestions for vet surgeons for luxating patella in Western Australia?

 

Thanks so much in advance!!!

[Loving my Oldies]

“Luxating patella” probably two of the most over used word in the veterinary lexicon.  Get a second and a third opinion.   

 

[Dogsfevr]

Agree get a second opinion .

Rivergum is a specialist clinic that has a very good surgeons .

But agree most vets are quite clueless in getting it right 

[Tinkzwa]

Thanks guys. The Rivergum specialist clinic is definitely what I'm looking for suggestion wise- will contact them. Just wondering why it seems like the opinion that the vets sometimes don't get it right though? They seemed to explain it and make it sound a bit simple/obvious?

 

Thanks again

[Loving my Oldies]

31 minutes ago, Tinkzwa said:

Thanks guys. The Rivergum specialist clinic is definitely what I'm looking for suggestion wise- will contact them. Just wondering why it seems like the opinion that the vets sometimes don't get it right though? They seemed to explain it and make it sound a bit simple/obvious?

 

Thanks again

A vet once said something to me that I found pretty scary.  He said the mistake was made when they were called “Veterinary Surgeons”.  A surgeon thinks he/she has to operate.  Operations should be considered, considered again and then considered again .... for all animals including the human animal.  

 

This vet also showed me how easy it was to slip dogs’ knees out of joint.  Paraphrasing:  he said that a customer takes their dog to the vet, the vet says, OMG look at this luxating patella, it just slips right out of joint, this dog must be operated upon.  

 

Another mistake that we make (and one that is hard not to because we are not vets) is that we thinks vets love animals, would walk over hot coals to help our animals and have only the deepest ulterior motives in taking up this profession and are extremely skilled. None of these things applies to some vets.  

 

I could relate several more horror stories from over the years, but I want to sleep tonight.    

[persephone]

2 hours ago, Tinkzwa said:

the opinion that the vets sometimes don't get it right though?

Because it's true ?  ;) 

I had a dog with a luxating patella .. after  quite a few times of it slipping to one side, and me pushing it back in ,  he had surgery and had many years of active and happy life after it . he was a cocker spanielXborder collie . 

There are some non-surgical treatments for Luxating Patella ( depending on severity/individual dog, etc )  which can also be explored

Here are two previous threads about Luxating Patellas :

LINK1 
LINK2

[Dogsfevr]

4 hours ago, Tinkzwa said:

Thanks guys. The Rivergum specialist clinic is definitely what I'm looking for suggestion wise- will contact them. Just wondering why it seems like the opinion that the vets sometimes don't get it right though? They seemed to explain it and make it sound a bit simple/obvious?

 

Thanks again

Because some vets have no clue to be blunt .There are some areas many vets lack in correct diagnosising skills hence depending on the vet you use would always suggest a second opinion 

 

[Jumabaar]

On 25/07/2018 at 3:15 PM, Dame Danny's Darling said:

A vet once said something to me that I found pretty scary.  He said the mistake was made when they were called “Veterinary Surgeons”.  A surgeon thinks he/she has to operate.  Operations should be considered, considered again and then considered again .... for all animals including the human animal.  

 

This vet also showed me how easy it was to slip dogs’ knees out of joint.  Paraphrasing:  he said that a customer takes their dog to the vet, the vet says, OMG look at this luxating patella, it just slips right out of joint, this dog must be operated upon.  

 

Another mistake that we make (and one that is hard not to because we are not vets) is that we thinks vets love animals, would walk over hot coals to help our animals and have only the deepest ulterior motives in taking up this profession and are extremely skilled. None of these things applies to some vets.  

 

I could relate several more horror stories from over the years, but I want to sleep tonight.    

If it slips out easily then it is not a normal joint.... I check for patella dislocation on all dogs I work on and the vast majority stay in place regardless of what I do. I also get owners to feel the bone slipping out and how easy it is when the tissues are not developed or have been injured.

[asal]

On 27/07/2018 at 1:18 AM, Jumabaar said:

If it slips out easily then it is not a normal joint.... I check for patella dislocation on all dogs I work on and the vast majority stay in place regardless of what I do. I also get owners to feel the bone slipping out and how easy it is when the tissues are not developed or have been injured.

As my vet pointed out he can slip them out while a puppy is young, to operate on a seven month old cavalier as one vet did, not knowing my vet had already thoroughly checked her is nothing short of criminal.

Then her new owner tried to make me pay for the surgery, never even contacted me prior or she would have learned that she had been thoroughly vet checked before I sold her, she was robbed, the poor puppy was robbed of the right to an arthritic free middle age. He had removed her cartlidge down to bone 

[Jumabaar]

This is an 18mth old pup so not quite comparable. 

 

As a vet I spend all of my time assessing physical abnormalities. And I have found a few pups well under 12mths that I have referred for early surgery. Usually these are due to the way bones are growing and early intervention can give better prognosis. 

These may not be black and white cases. I agree that some are done without just cause, but some are done very appropriately. It’s worth looking at every case as an individual to make sure those that need early intervention don’t miss out. 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Jumabaar

[westiemum]

On 7/27/2018 at 12:48 AM, Jumabaar said:

If it slips out easily then it is not a normal joint.... I check for patella dislocation on all dogs I work on and the vast majority stay in place regardless of what I do. I also get owners to feel the bone slipping out and how easy it is when the tissues are not developed or have been injured.

Thanks Jumabaar - thats my experience too. 

 

My puppy farm rescue boy Andy has a funny skip in his back left leg when he runs.  My brilliant vet keeps an eye on it but every time he's checked it over the years, he says he has trouble getting it to dislocate, there's no pain behaviour, its not getting any worse and there's nothing that needs to be done.   So IMHO,  some vets do know what they are doing here, but I'm sure there are some who don't.   I completely trust my vets (and now drive significant distances to see them! ) but if required, I wouldn't hesitate to get a second opinion before putting my pups through surgery.

[YOLO]

As for recommendations,  we take our dogs to Murdoch Uni.  Period.

As in any walk of life, you get all sorts of vets.  Some excellent, mostly good, and a few scumbags.