My mini shettie has upward fixation of patella

Charlie, my Falabella x shetland, had an operation for locking stifle before we bought him. When I talked to my vet about it, she said it was very common in Falabellas. Charlie seems absolutely fine. The gypsy cob that we bred also had locking stifles, we sold her when she was 4 and now that she is in regular work, the problem has resolved itself, although her new owner did have a chat with her own vets before she bought our cob and they said the operation was fairly straightforward.
 
I took on a standard shettie 6 months back with locking stifles. She would lock up almost every stride at times. It was a struggle to even pick up her back legs. Now you would barely know she has it. She's dropped weight and is in a bare paddock which requires her to be constantly on the move in order to find grass and its on a slope. The exercise has definitely been the key... No operation required for her.
 
not a shettie but a 5 yr old welshieX who we had the vet out to for the very same thing yesterday!! exercise is the key most definately, we have 2 weeks of inhand walking for 15 mins building to 30, then start to introduce some trot and hill work if we can, not easy when they're on a big flat farm lol!
Vet said she wouldn't even think about the op until we'd had 2 months of getting him fit, if the joint is still locking up after that then the op is pretty straight forward.
i'd asked on another board for anyones experience and got a very encouraging reply from a lady who's old pony had the op done to great success.
how old is your mini? youngsters quite often grow out of it as they mature and build muscle.
 
I wouldn't worry, my welshie had it severely at 3 years old, we thought she'd broken her leg in the field when saw her, luckily vet was out anyway for something else so did a free once over declaring her stifle was locking up, said to see how it went and if came to it the op was simple and easy (at a cost of £75 at the time - 5 years ago, she's 7 now! lol), hers went after having sedalin paste which apparentely sometimes happens!

weirdly another unrelated welshie filly from same stud had the same problem, in the same leg too....lol hers was mild and went within a week without further problem, conclusion was hers was sticky but not enough to actually lock up, and they were both 24/7 grass liveried on hills, so in theory shouldn't have had a problem....LOL
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the pain is the box rest afterwards, long as yours is fine stabled you'll be ok IF it comes to an op, many don't, even severe cases (like my girl)
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Thanks guys, he is 4 and is very slight and only 28" tall. It doesnt happen in the field but he is out at night and in during the day so I only see it when I take him out of that stable and he cant actually even walk as he cannot bend the leg. It takes him about 3 mins to hobble around and then he gallops off bucking and squealing!
Yes he is a little tubby this time of year but I find it very difficult to manage. I have the 3 boys at home and they have to be in the same field. We have sheep in so they dont eat too much but there is no way I can section off doughie and he will get v stressed out :-(
 
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