A Stafford suffering from luxating patella / degenerative arthritis & a ruptured cruciate ligament

I had wanted a Staffie for about 4 years.  I worked in a boarding kennels and out of all the dogs, the Staffie’s character stood out.  I sent off for a list from the 

Kennel Club and I rang round some breeders.  I ended up buying George, a mahogany 

brindle and white puppy aged 8 weeks.

George was a very happy and healthy puppy (he was lightly shown).

When George was 18 months old he went lame on his right hind leg (I thought that maybe he had pulled a muscle while running around) so I took him straight to the vets who diagnosed slipping patella.   I was devastated.  The vet told me he would need an operation.  I just wasn’t expecting this.  I just burst into tears!  How could this be happening to my beautiful little man?   I was given an appointment with a specialist for two weeks later and a bottle of Metacam and was told to rest him for 10 days.

The day came for seeing the specialist.  We had to leave early, as it was an hour and a half drive.

The specialist had a good feel of George's leg and said he did have slipping patella but not serious enough for the operation.  On a scale of 1-4 it was about 1.

I was told to swim him weekly at a hydrotherapy pool to build the muscle up around the knee. I did this for a about a year and it worked.  I was so pleased!! 

Then in March 2003 George was running in the park chasing another dog when he slipped and started screaming.  He was holding his other leg up. I rushed him straight to the vets where I was given Metacam again and told to rest him for 10 days. 

7 days later he was still lame so I took him back he was x rayed and i was told he had completely ruptured his cruciate ligament so he would need an operation.  This was an awful time.  I was so upset my poor baby. 

He had the operation on 27th march 2003 I was so worried about him.  I was so glad when they rang to say he had come round and everything had gone well and that I could collect him in a few hours. 

I went to collect him and he was so upset and still a bit sleepy his leg was all shaved and he was feeling very sorry for himself - bless.

I slept downstairs with him for a week, as he didn’t like being left on his own! A few weeks later he was still very lame I took him back to the vet.  The vet said his kneecap was now loose on the same leg he would need another operation.

I just burst into tears again.  How can my poor baby, who had been through so much, go through another op?

There was no other option.  It had to be done!  On the 25th April 2003

(2 days before his 3rd birthday) George went in for an operation for slipping patella.

They inserted pins into his knee to hold it in place.  While they were carrying out this operation they noticed that the implant they had put in when they did the first operation had broken so that needed to be fixed too. 

They rang to say I could collect him.  He was really out of it this time.  They had given him morphine for the pain and he could hardly stand up. He also had a huge blue bandage on his leg.  He couldn’t even go toilet without my help! 

After about 3 days he was getting back to being a happy boy again.  I was told to leave the bandage on for 2 weeks! It stayed on for 4 days!!!  I couldn’t walk him so he went swimming twice a week at the hydro pool.  

After about a month i stated to walk him for only five minutes twice a day.  I then tried to build this up to 15 minutes until we were walking the distance before all this had happened!

George went on his holidays to Cornwall for a week in September 2003 and he had a lovely time! 

In November 2003 he had to go in to vet hospital again to have the end of the pins removed as they were causing a swelling on the knee.  I was told then that George had Arthritis in the knee.  He was on medication from the vets called Metacam and this was to be taken daily for about 4 months

He was still swimming once a week but now goes about once a month.  The only medication he has now is cod liver oil capsule once a day and 2 "VetVits - Dogs - Flexi Joints" a day, which I buy off the Internet!  This contains "a comprehensive and balanced supplement providing Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Vitamin E and Ester-C.

He has bad days now and again, especially if it is cold or wet.  He gets stiff in his leg and is sometimes lame for a few days.

Now though, he often still runs around like a puppy - typical Staffie!  He still loves his walks and has two or three every day!

George lives with two house rabbits, which he adores (they are his babies).  Oh and he still loves going to the vets!

Marie Davenport

27 May 2004