Any Vets about or anyone with experience of luxating patella surgery?

[PurpleBananaPie]

I have an almost 12yr old cat who started limping just after Christmas. He was back and forth to the Vets who thought it could be a luxating patella and eventually he was referred to an orthopedic specialist for a second opinion.

After trying cortisone injections in both his hip and his knee, it was eventually decided that it was his knee and my cat had surgery in June. 2 weeks later he went back to get the staples removed and to have a check up, the Vet didn't like how he was walking and so the following day he had x-rays which confirmed that he had an avulsion of the tibial crest transposition (whatever that means!) which was followed by a second operation to correct this.

Two weeks after the 2nd Op, cat started limping again, the Vet confirmed that the same thing had happened again and that a 3rd op was required. At this point he said that the more times the surgery was carried out, the less chance there was of it working as the bone was breaking up and cats only have a small amount of bone to pin in the first place.

That was a week and a half ago. This morning I have woken up to find my cat limping/hopping again so it looks very much like surgery has failed yet again.

What I want to know is whether there is any point putting him through a 4th operation when 3 have failed already? He has been stuck in a cage for 6 weeks now, hopping and limping for over 6 months and we are no further forward despite 3 operations. He is due back at the Vet on Friday, would it be unreasonable of me to say- no more, he's not having any more operations. He was hopping round on 3 legs quite happily from Jan-Jun before they operated, surely that is better than repeated operations and life in a cage?

I don't know what to do, I could cry Obviously I will discuss this with the Vet on Friday but wondered if anyone else had been through this or had any experience?

[cozietoesie]

Awful for you all Purple. Are you receiving specialist advice on this or is it the practice vet who is dealing with it?

[PurpleBananaPie]

No, this is all being looked after by the orthapedic specialist, I kind of wish our regular vet had done it! The 'specialist' is an hours drive each way every time we go and I dread to think how many trips we've made so far. Ive used all my annual leave as well so can't even go on Friday, will have to send DP. I just feel sorry for my poor cat, all this pain and suffering to be in the same place as before!

[cozietoesie]

It's all a bit too technical for me, Purple, so you really have to rely on the specialist. I guess that the only thing I can add is that I wouldn't worry overmuch now if they thought that he might be better off without it. It would be a big op but then he's having them anyway it seems - and tripods seem to do generally very well. I'd be open to that suggestion anyway if the specialist was thinking along those lines. A fourth op for a dubious outcome seems a lot for the lad.

But I'm no specialist of course. Have you chatted to your own vet about it?

[PurpleBananaPie]

Yes I thing I might ring our regular vet. I'm beginning to wish he had never referred us in the first place.

[cozietoesie]

Shall a decision be made on Friday?

Good luck to him either way.

[PurpleBananaPie]

Well he's been to the vet for the hundred time and he wants to leave it another week and see how he goes. He thinks that one side of the tendon could have become detached but the other side could still be attached, back in a week and he will xray then.

He didn't remove the staples from the wound though, it has been 14 days today since the last op, will staples be OK for another week or should I get them taken out? DP took him and forgeot to mention it but I've heard that the skin grows over them if left too long?

[cozietoesie]

Why not give the practice a quick buzz to check?

Poor boy. You all must be so fed up - including him!