“2020 will be the year without vet visits”
“2020 will be the year without vet visits”
The day before New Year’s Eve 2019, Ruth’s owner said “2020 will be the year without vet visits” – sounds like tempting fate? Unfortunately, you’d be right!
On New Year’s Eve, Ruth jumps down from the last step into the yard and starts limping – though the lameness came and went. Sometimes she would hop on three legs, then walk completely normally again. Of course, a vet appointment was booked and they were seen on the 7th of January.
There, it was confirmed that she has patellar luxation, and they were referred to an orthopaedic specialist up in Sundsvall. The appointment at Evidensia Veterinärhuset was on the 21st of January, and the days leading up to it were filled with worry – worry that they would be told she needed surgery. But the days passed and she seemed to improve; the three-legged hopping appeared to be decreasing, which gave them hope that it might not be as serious as feared.
Before heading up to Sundsvall, they told themselves to prepare for the worst – that surgery would be needed – so that things could only get better.
But things could get worse. One bad knee had now become two, with one requiring surgery within a week and the other also carrying a prognosis of surgery. Both knees have medial grade two PL, where the kneecap slips out of place both spontaneously and on manipulation.
Today, they are incredibly grateful for all the help they have received. The support has been wonderful, and a truly professional team worked tirelessly to give Ruth the very best care. They are so glad they went ahead with the operations, and seeing her move with such confidence in her body today makes it all worthwhile. It was an incredibly tough time – a great deal of worry that something might go wrong during the healing period, a long spell of crate rest that had to be strictly maintained, and a great deal of rehabilitation. But the growth it brought, the things learned along the way – the bond has undoubtedly grown even stronger as a result.
You operated on Ruth at quite a young age – did you not want to wait and see whether things would improve?
Good question! But no. There was no possibility of building up Ruth’s musculature to support her patella – surgery was the only option. Had they waited longer, a more extensive operation would have been required, as the groove in the kneecap can wear away, necessitating the creation of a new one. The risk of arthritis also increases significantly if a dog is left with PL for a prolonged period.
Today you compete with Ruth – tell us a bit about that!
Yes indeed! Dog training is a real passion of mine, and if I had the time I would spend entire days at the training hall or the club. Competing was never the original plan – I really struggle with performance anxiety – but eventually the competitive spirit took over, and today Ruth is the second Pomeranian in the world to achieve the title of Trick Dog Champion. We have also competed in showing, where she has received wonderful feedback with Excellent and CQ results. Last year we also began competing in rally obedience. At our very first competition we achieved a perfect score, took first place, and were immediately promoted to the next class. We have only four competition days in rally obedience under our belts, but we also have four first-place finishes, and this year our goal is to compete in the advanced class and earn that title!
I have also had plans to start competing in obedience, but we have had a few issues with the dumbbell after Ruth dropped it during training and it hit her in the face – after which she refused to carry it. But we are working on it and will see what happens! I would also love to compete in game tracking. I have big ambitions and lots of plans. But the most important thing of all is that Ruth is happy and enjoys what she does.
How exciting! Do you have plans to get more dogs?
I actually have another dog already – Hedda. Hedda is a ten-month-old Keeshond. I would love to have another one eventually, but that is a few years away!
When you are not spending your time training, how do you like to spend time together?
Rest is important – both the dogs and I need recovery time! On those days we relax at home, go for walks where the dogs can run off-lead and take in all the scents around them. We do massage, clip claws, tend to the coat, do some stretching – a little bit of this and that, whatever we feel like!
We love going out into the forest or up into the mountains – being out in nature with the dogs is something we all enjoy 💛
Do you think it is beneficial to give dogs supplements?
I give supplements to both Ruth and Hedda. For Ruth it is primarily to support her joints as much as possible, as well as for coat and skin. For Hedda I give supplements as a preventative measure, and also for coat and skin. I want to give the dogs the very best conditions I possibly can, and so I support them from the inside. I think it is worthwhile doing what you can, and I would genuinely recommend giving supplements. They can help not just with joints and coat, but also with things like digestive issues, allergies, and stress.
Patellar luxation
Patellar luxation means that the kneecap (patella) is displaced (luxates) from its normal position.
Common symptoms include lameness, a skipping or hopping gait, or a characteristic crouching way of moving. Some dogs show very few or no symptoms at all, and for an untrained eye it can also be difficult to spot. Patellar luxation is particularly common in small to medium-sized breeds but can also occur in larger dogs.
The most common form is where the kneecap luxates inwards – medially. The other form is called lateral luxation, where the kneecap displaces outwards.
- Grade 0 = Normal
- Grade 1 = The patella can be luxated manually but returns spontaneously to its normal position.
- Grade 2 = The patella can easily be luxated either manually or spontaneously and may remain luxated.
- Grade 3 = The patella is permanently luxated.
The Swedish Kennel Club’s general recommendation is that only dogs with normal knee joints should be used for breeding, and that a dog with clinical symptoms of patellar luxation is never suitable for breeding, regardless of the grade found on examination.
If you suspect your dog has patellar luxation, we recommend contacting a vet for an examination.
If your dog is found to have patellar luxation, discuss with your vet how to proceed. A physiotherapist is also a valuable resource to be in contact with, as they can offer advice as well as exercises tailored to your dog’s specific needs.
