luxating patella

[weevil]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this - particularly in a very active dog.
It looks like Sprocket may have it (and yes, I am going to ring the vet first thing tomorrow). He occasionally throws a leg out or holds it up for a stride, and tonight at flyball training one of my teammates had a look and said she could feel the joint "crunching"
Anyone know anything about this? Is it likely I am going to have to restrict what he does etc???

 

[EAST KENT]

Sorry,but that is the end of any stuff like flyball!If it is it will mean surgery and TOTAL cage rest for six weeks followed by on lead only walks for a further six weeks.It is a long haul,knees in dogs and people are buggers to get mended.

 

[CAYLA]

It would depend on severity as some dogs come sound after surgery but as EK suggests their is always that risk of recovery then break down as normal exercise or esp things more vigorous like agility, same with cruciates, hip dysplacia ,ocd etc and then with the risk of onset of early artheritis.
Don't worry till the vet has atleast graded it and talked you through how bad/or not or not it is. I have seen some recover nicely and have restricted exercise for life and some go on to be very active with no relapse and some be plagued all their lives even after surgery, I board 1 little dog and his leg is forever locking and he screams holy hell (horrible to see).
Hydro can help aswell as supplements too.
I would also inform the breeder as siblings and parents ideally should not be bred from again with it being a hereditary problem, obs other factors will contribute but always responsible not the breed to lessen the risk.
How old is he/she and what breed?

 

[weevil]

Thanks for the replies - just waiting for the vets to open so I can ring them.
He is nearly 2 and is a spaniel x terrier (bred by Puppy on here). It doesn't seem to be causing him any problems at the moment and he loves flyball and whizzing round an agility course but obviously I don't want to risk causing him more problems later in life
He is very lean and well muscled anyway and is already on a joint supplement as I wnated to protect his joints as much as possible. Plus he has regular hydro through our flyball club.
I'll just be gutted if he has to give up all of the stuff he loves...