Question:
Emily my 3 year old shih poo apparently needs surgery to correct a Luxating Patella. I'm told this condition is quite common in small dogs. She doesn't indicate pain, but looks like she has arthritis when she gets off the couch, then she shakes her leg and is as good as new. Anyone with personal knowledge, or experience with their own dog, I would love to hear from you.

Answer:
Luxating Patellas are a genetic problem and one of the things that responsible breeders are supposed to test for before breeding. Most breeders of designer breeds skip that step of the breeding process.

Surgery is necessary if it is a severe case. If it is a mild case, then adding glucosomine to the diet, keeping weight down and keeping the dog fit could be enough.

My mom adopted a toy poodle from animal control with this problem. It couldn't take two steps without it's back legs going out from under him and he couldn't stand up long enough to pee. She put him on a strict diet and started getting him walking in her yard. By the time he lost the 10 pounds (yes 10 pounds!) that he need to lose he was walking the entire fence.

Answer: