Just found out my dog is going to need surgery to fix his luxating patella (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxating_patella).

I've been calling around and the best price I can find is $1800 from VSRP in Cary.

Anyone have any experience with this? Know where I can go to get a cheaper price? Any help would be appreciated.

8/2/2011 5:33:05 PM

i don't have experience with that particular condition or procedure, but my dog has had elbow surgery at VSRP. she has/d ununited anconeal process (UAP) in both elbows. they recommended we only operate on the one that's causing her to limp. it was $1400 but WELL worth it. she's a super bouncy happy doggy now. they kept her overnight & i picked her up the next evening. we went back for a follow up appt a few weeks later. kind of a haul for us (we're in rocky mount), but i liked the people & the results.

8/2/2011 6:26:31 PM

I would think you could get cheaper prices out in Johnston County or Harnett County.

8/2/2011 6:53:13 PM

My dog has had this condition for probably 8 years now. At first, it would pop out, particularly when he made a dash across hardwood floors or anything slippery. He would yelp, and so that's how we new something was wrong. So we went to the vet and got a similar quote to the one you posted.

I might sound like a dick here, but I was not going to pay that kind of money for a dog I got from the pound. I asked a couple vets about other options, and we ended up putting him on joint supplements, and maybe another medication (I don't remember for sure). My plan was to monitor him and if he didn't get better, seek other options.

Anyway, after a few months, we stopped hearing the yelping. One of two things happened - either the supplements worked, or he just got used to his kneecap popping in and out. I suspect it was the latter, and the original yelping was more a result of the surprise he got from an unusual feeling, vice actually being in severe pain. I think over time he learned to get used to it.

8/2/2011 7:46:35 PM

my dog would die if the only option was $1800 surgery

sorry, girl

8/3/2011 7:37:00 PM

^ The gf won't let that happen

Quote :

"My dog has had this condition for probably 8 years now."

What kind of dog do you have? how much does it weigh?

Quote :

"Anyway, after a few months, we stopped hearing the yelping. One of two things happened - either the supplements worked, or he just got used to his kneecap popping in and out. I suspect it was the latter, and the original yelping was more a result of the surprise he got from an unusual feeling, vice actually being in severe pain. I think over time he learned to get used to it."

Have you tried feeling the joint to see if it's still popping out? on my dog you can feel it pop out and you can pop it back in but it just pops back out a few minutes later. And does your dog still walk on that leg? Mine is already limping around a bit so I think it will only get worse if we don't treat it soon.

8/4/2011 11:31:14 AM

My dog is a mixed breed Spitz/Pomeranian. I think he weighs about 15 pounds or so. From reading your Wiki article, I definitely think he was somewhere in the Stage 1 or Stage 2 area, so obviously, a bigger dog or one in worse condition would probably require more drastic measures.

He definitely doesn't limp now. I don't really mess with his knee. He is a super sweet dog, but he can get very irritated if you push on him the right way (or the wrong way), so I have just let it alone.

8/4/2011 1:21:20 PM

Had the surgery for our Jack Russell mutt several years ago. Price was nearly that and she had the surgery 5-6 years ago. She had strained her CCL on the other knee from limping so much that it ruptured and while she was having the luxating patella fixed they worked on the CCL too.

Recovery was very fast for her. We kept her in a small dog playpen type thing which she decided to jump out of the day after surgery. We were supposed to keep her from moving around much but by the second day she wanted to be outside so we let her and she was fine.

As a small terrier who was only about 5 when she had the surgery, it was the right thing to do. She has arthritis in her hip but her knees have been fine since the surgery, letting her run and play for many years before the arthritis got worse. Expensive but had we not done it she probably would have had a much less mobile and enjoyable life.

8/4/2011 3:55:15 PM

If you can come to Richmond to have it done, you can get it for $995. There is a vet clinic here the specializes in low(er) cost animal surgeries. I think that's all they do and I've heard good things about them.

http://www.helpinghandsvetva.com/procedures.html

It's listed as MPL. Good luck to you and your pup!

8/4/2011 4:39:41 PM

^ wow I'd say a 3 hour ride is worth $800, thanks for the tip ncsu_angel


[Edited on August 4, 2011 at 5:35 PM. Reason : .]

8/4/2011 5:33:39 PM