Question:
: Hi,
: Thanks for this site, you have really helped my husband and me learn so much about our baby's breed. I know there are a ton of questions in the archives about patellar luxation, but I did not see one on this particular subject. My 3 1/2 year old female JRT was diagnosed with patellar luxation stage 1 in her left back leg only today. The other back leg is fine. Our vet said it would probably never require surgery, and that we don't need to modify any of her activities. But we are still unsure if this is the best route to go, because she has been fine for her whole life and then suddenly limped for a minute or so last week while catching a ball. She has done this 3-4 times since then, only when she's very active. We were planning to start her in agility classes this summer (agility has finally come to our backwoods town!) but now we are unsure if we should do it. I would hate to start her in an activity that might further damage her knee--even though our vet says otherwise, it seems counterintuitive to my husband and me that all the jumping wouldn't make her problem worse. Do any of you have experience with agility and JRTs who have luxating patellas? I would love to hear any opinions or advice.
: Thank you so much,
: Jamie
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Hi Jamie,
I would advise you to get a referral to a board certified orthopedist and schedule a consultation for your girl. There are several reasons for doing so. 1) Starting a new exercise routine should always be done under the advisement of a veterinarian, and a specialist for one with a specific condition. 2) Your vet may have given you some slightly "off" information. The vast majority of luxatting patella cases do require surgery within the dog's lifetime (or they really need it and their owners don't recognize the signs), and that kind of diagnosis isn't ususally made in the first diagnosis or by a vet who doesn't do this type of surgery daily. 3) Sudden onset of limping, happening 4-5 times in one week, doesn't sound like a grade 1 luxation. When my dog was at grade 2, he limped less than this, as have other dogs with this condition that I know. I'd have it double checked, just so you know for sure. 4) An orthopedist will give you a much more specific representation of the condition, and information on what to look for to detect that the condition in your dog is stable or getting worse.
Doing agility with a dog with luxatting patella is not *neccessarily* counterproductive to keeping the condition stable. There are many factors to that though, such as training safely, which is another reason to do this under the care of a specialist. Keeping your dog inactive and unfit is most definitely the best way to aggrevate the condition or to worsen it.
My dog had his surgery just over a year ago, after a year of actively competing in agility. Agility did not cause him to have to have surgery; having no trochlear groove did. (Don't know what trochlear groove means? Your specialist will tell you; this is information you need.) Our orthopedist has said over and over, and now uses him as an example to other patients, that his excellent muscle tone and fitness level is the only thing that kept his knee together for almost 4 years. There are several structural components to the knee that can cause luxation; his particular problem shouldn't have been functional past 6 or so months of age. Your vet is correct that her activity level should stay the same; an orthopedist may reccomend moving that bar up. Weak muscles are no friend of the luxatting patella.
Below is a link to an article that isn't addressed to JRTs specifically, but is really good information.
Good luck!
Heather
