Frankies leg (update)

[anna_66]

Gosh I'm sorry I didn't see this before now. I do hope that the vet visit goes alright today. Please let us know what he says.
{{{HUGS}}}

[beeniesmom]

Thanks for your support and kind words guys. I will let you know what the vet tells me when I get back home.

They (Beenie and Frankie) will both be mad at me for taking them to the vet. Beenie has an appointment too, right after Frankie, to get her booster rabies and to check out a little cist on her neck that comes and goes.

They won't speak to me for the whole weekend... I can already tell.

They know something is going on because they were unusually quiet this morning.

[lv4dogs]

Cramen, I wish yous the best of luck at the vets today. Beenie & Frankie will be in my thoughts today.

[beeniesmom]

OK, we are back.

Beenie was a real trooper with her yearly exam and all tests came back normal. (poop and blood work). No parasites, no heartworms.

They say that she has bad allergies and that is causing those cists to flare up on her neck. They gave her antihistamine and antibiotics for 3 weeks. She will get a check up 3 fridays from today (March 31st).

Frankie has allergies too. She saw some pink areas in his ears that made her think that he has them too. Gave him antihistamines only.

Now for the BAD news....about Frankies knee. He has stage 3-4 patellar luxation (worst kind) on his right leg and stage 1 on his left one. That means he should have surgery to his right leg.

The vet says that we can play the waiting game. His knees may get stronger since he is still a growing boy. He may also just rip a tendon and require immediate surgery. She reccomends we wait. I also want to wait. She will re-evaluate him in August and said that unless it gets worse (popping out many times a day without being able to pop it back in) we should wait.

This really sucks, not only for his health, even thought she said he doesn't feel pain, just instability, but also because this probably means that we won't be able to go down to the April 1st meeting in Tampa. Frankie needs to be calm and avoid rough palying for a while. I hope I'll be able to control him.

God, I love my babies so much.

[beeniesmom]

oh.... forgot to mention. Beenie gained 1 pound (23 now), Frankie gained 11 since the last time they saw him (25.6 lbs). MY FAT BOY!!!!

[Lady's Human]

Lady can sympathise with Beenie and Frankie on the weight issue, she's up to 70 lbs, the vet said she's fine, but she doesn't have her girlish figure anymore.

Hopefully Frankie doesn't have to have surgery, but if he does, we hope all goes well.

[Queen of Poop]

Do some looking around. There are doggie knee braces out there. I looked well over 2 years ago when my Sami started having trouble and found some, but that was a while ago.

Otherwise, good to hear that the puppers are ok.

[cyber-sibes]

Gosh, I just saw this. Poor boy, and good luck trying to keep him quiet! Hopefully he'll out grow it like Smokey did, and be able to skip the surgery bit!

[Jadapit]

Geez, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything clears up so he doesn't have to have sugery. I will keep Frankie in my thoughts and prayers. You too, I know how hard it is when our fur babies are not well.

[Alysser]

AW! Poor babyI hope Frankie gets better soon!

[Cinder & Smoke]

The vet says that we can play the waiting game.
His knees may get stronger since he is still a growing boy.
He may also just rip a tendon and require immediate surgery.
She recommends we wait. I also want to wait.
She will re-evaluate him in August and said that unless it gets worse (popping out many times a day without being able to pop it back in) we should wait.

... she said he doesn't feel pain, just instability ...

Smokey has (or had) a Luxating Patella on his right hind knee - that bothered him quite
a bit during his second year here on the planet. Doc thinks it's possible his
abusive first owner might have kicked him in the knee and caused the damage.

Doc Mike watched it for a couple of months and also taught me how to *pop* it
back in if Smokey couldn't do it himself. It seemed to be getting worse so Doc
sent us to a Surgeon for an exam. The Surgeon said he could "fix it" - the
greatest problem would be restricting SmokeMutt for almost 6 months while
the knee healed.

We *waited* some more - and the ole Trick Knee actually seemed to get better!
I never really "restricted" his activities, but encouraged him to swim - which
he'll do till he's so tired he can hardly move. It's possible he "strengthened" the knee with
his activities and "reasonable" exercise.
By the time Smokey turned 3 - he almost never had a pop-out happen!
And when the knee did pop, he hardly ever cried in pain - he'd just stop and
give the leg/foot a *shake* - then continue on his way - all fixed!

He's just over 5 now; and it's been over two years since I've seen him have
a problem with the knee. Doc doesn't even give it much of a check at his
annual check-up - we're practicing "Leave well enough alone!"

He does "sit" a little bit oddly (with the bum knee leg angled out a bit) - but
he runs like a deer, jumps, and rough-houses like he never had a problem.

Did your Vet SHOW you how to "pop" the knee back into position?
I learned how and for almost I year I "helped" Smokey. If HE couldn't *pop* the
knee back into place - he knew that a lil *YIP* was all it took to bring ole Dad
on the run - and he'd stick the bum knee out for me to work on!
I got really *good* at "knee poppin"!

Hope Frankie's knee gets better on its own!

/s/ Phred