# Limping after recovery from Luxating patella



## tracy&theherd (Feb 3, 2012)

My 1 and a half year old Boston had surgery on 11/18/12 to repair his Luxating patella and acl. We did all the required recovery. But he still holds that legs up most of the time, not when he's standing just walking or running he will pull it up and hop on 3 legs. I was worried about this and took him back to the vet about 2 and a half weeks ago. They checked his knee and said the surgery is holding up and his knee feels great but they weren't sure why he was favoring the leg. My vet gave me some anti-inflammatory medication to try and see if that helps. We did what the vet said and it had no affect. Does anyone have any idea what I could do?


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Do you by any chance give any joint supplements? I would maybe start him on some glucosamine tablets. Meeko has a luxating patella (not bad enough to have surgery yet), and I have been giving him NaturVet glucosamine supplements (the Arthrisoothe even though he is not arthritic) everyday. I have noticed that he "skips" a lot less. I'm not sure if this would help considering you already had the surgery done and technically everything should be alright, but it's worth a try.


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## tracy&theherd (Feb 3, 2012)

I could try a joint supplement. I'll pick some up tomorrow at work and start him on that. I'll try anything.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

tracy&theherd said:


> I could try a joint supplement. I'll pick some up tomorrow at work and start him on that. I'll try anything.


Yeah I've had Yucca Schidingera (sp?) works well too. I think looking for the highest dosage of glucosamine should work.

Let us know how it goes! I want to know what else I could do to prevent Meeko from having to get surgery.


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

Did your vet give you any exercises or anything to do during the recovery? If at all possible, I'd try to get a referral to a canine rehab specialist.. I'd think an underwater treadmill would be very helpful. Short of that, if your pup is small enough, fill up your bath tub and have him walk back and forth in it for a few minutes a day. Swimming would also be good.

With some dogs, they adapt to being on 3 legs so well after the surgery that they seem to find it easier to use three legs than to use the weaker leg, so they have to be "forced" to use that leg and build up the muscle.


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## tracy&theherd (Feb 3, 2012)

I wasn't given any exercises to do with him. I'll try the bathtub thing and see if that helps at all.


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

That is so unfortunate. I can't understand why a vet wouldn't recommend some type of rehab after major joint surgery.

It will take a bit of time (two-three months or so, approx), but I believe with exercises to strengthen the leg, he'll get better.


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## tracy&theherd (Feb 3, 2012)

Yeah I don't know why he didn't. He had surgery on 11/18/12 so it's been almost 5 months.


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