My 12 week old puppy bitch suddenly became lame 10 days ago, I don't know what happened but feel she may have hurt herself while playing with her brother! I took her to the vet last Monday and he put her on Metacam until Thursday when he wanted to see her again. She had started to improve over the week but was not 100% so he took her in on Friday for an x-ray as he wanted to make that there wasn't a fracture. He was confident that there wasn't but wanted to be 100%. Her x-ray was clear and he said he wants me to take her to an orthopaedic specialist, I am going on Tuesday morning.

She is walking with a very slight limp now, much improved and is weight bearing on it. Last week she was not weight bearing and was running on 3 legs. It seems to be a problem with her stifle and I can see a bit of movement in the joint certain ways that she moves.

I wonder whether,if suggested, she is still too young for surgery or should I go ahead if advised.

Her movement was perfectly sound prior to the accident. 

Thanks.

Hi
Sorry to hear about your puppy, :(  12 weeks seems very young for surgery to me!  Our last dog needed orthopeadic surgery and the specialist wouldn't operate until he was 2 years old so that he had finished growing.

You don't mention what breed your puppy is?  If she is a large breed it would be best to limit her exercise to play only, don't allow her to use the stairs or jump on and off furniture - not always easy with a boisterous pup I know but it will help!

Your orthopeadic vet should be the best to advise on the pros and cons of surgery, and also the recovery period afterwards.  Ask all the questions you need to and if you are not confident then you must get a second opinion.  Does your vet have any idea what the problem may be?

Good Luck on Tuesday, I'm keeping everything crossed for you, and please keep us updated about her.
Maria :)

Hi Maria,

Thanks for answering me. She is a Samoyed and the reason I was asking is because I feel that 3 months is very young for surgery because as you say she has a lot of growing to do. I do not allow my dogs to run up and down stairs as babies so that isn't a problem.   

I think the suspicion is that she has damaged her knee as there is looseness there that wasn't before???

My vet said that I could wait and see how she went but he would be happier having a "specialist" look at it due to the slackness.

Thanks again and I will let you know how it goes.

my dog (though adult) damaged the cruciate ligament in her back knee (other dog jumped on her), and had to a thread sewn through the ligament to support it, it was a little worrying as she only has that  one back leg (though two at the front as well lol). before repair, the knee was very loose and had too much movement and too painful for her to put much weight on though obviously she had no choice . It was done with keyhole surgery and she was back home next day. wondering if she has done some thing simular
justi

Hi scarlettwynter :)

Unless I am missing something, I don't think surgery has actually been suggested has it?  It might be that your vet just wants a specialist opinion on what the problem might be, which sounds a good idea to me.  In the meantime, Maria's idea of restricting exercise as much as possible is a good one, especially as with the medication, the pup may be feeling less pain and therefore want to tear about as pups do :P.  Best of luck tomorrow and I hope you get some positive news. :)

Hi,

my vet said he wanted to know what the specialist's advice was on either treatment or surgery. I don't know if surgery will be suggested tomorrow but it is an issue that is worrying me due to her age. I am worried also about the amount of movement she has in the knee also :-(

She seems to be completely oblivious of it now and is walking on it but I can see that it isn't right.

An additional worry!!! Is that she has a slight heart murmur too and I would worry about this greatly while under anaesthetic, if this is the route suggested.

Thanks everyone

Try not to worry in advance (asking the impossible I know!) and remember that all this is just information gathering at the moment.  Make sure that the specialist knows about the heart murmur so that can also be taken into account.

Let us know how you get on. :)

Edited to say:  Good idea to start making notes of everything you want to ask the specialist.  When you're worried, it is easy for things to slip your mind and then you kick yourself later! :D

Good luck today with the specialist and please let us know how she gets on!
Sending positive thoughts and keeping everything crossed for you!
Maria  :)

Thank you Maria.

Back from the specialist and he reckons that her crutiate ligament is fine. He feels that the area that is sore is at the top of her femur but my vet didn't send Vixxi"s  x-ray plates to the ortho vet. Anyway, I am releived that her ligament is okay and I am to watch her for another week and if she atsrts to limp again then I have to go straight back to the ortho vet instead of my usual vet.

I am relieved because my vet's demeanour led me to believe that it was a serious injury and that she  was heading for surgery but so far so good :-). I will keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks to everyone.

Glad to hear the news was quite positive - shame your vet didn't forward the x-rays.  If you do need to go back, might be worth trying to arrange to pick them up and take them with you.  Hope things continue to go well though.

In my experience they usually give you the Xrays to take along yourself, after all you have paid for them :) and they would cost a lot to send these days with the new size pricing .  Perhaps that is what he thought he had done.  I would nip in and ask for them just in case you do need to go back.

Hi
I'm really pleased the news was much better than you expected :) and I can imagine you are relieved too!

I think as Annie says it would be a good idea to pick the ex-rays up from your vet if you have to go to the specialist again.

I know I've said this in my other post but do try and keep her resting as much as possible - easier said than done with a bouncy puppy I know but it will help!
Maria

Thank you all so much. I was in at my vet yesterday with one of my other girls and mentioned that the specialist had asked for the x-rays and the nurse just said "Oh dear!". I was not impressed and I think I will follow your advice and ask for the xrays,just incase>

Vixxi is fine just now but it is a nightmare trying to keep her calm

Thanks again.