Conversations With Cousin Cameo- Sounds Like Cameo Has a Medially Luxating Patella (MLP)

The following is my response to Cameo's Knee is Painin' Cameo, I am so sorry to hear about your current issue with your knee! I certainly know how it feels to deal with a chronic illness, as I have more than one. Besides my Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA), I have osteoarthritis in a couple of my toes! To think that a muscular, lean, athletic dog like me has arthritis! Whatever! Actually, in going through the process of diagnosing my current (3rd) IMHA occurrence, the degenerative changes associated with osteoarthritis were discovered on my radiographs (xrays). I even have a report from a veterinary radiologist giving the full details. Anyway, enough of me and back to your issue. It sounds like you have a patella luxation, which is a kneecap that slides around when the knee flexes (bends) and goes back into place when the knee extends (straightens). Typically, the luxation is to the medial (inside) of the knee. It can be graded on a scale of 1-4, with 1 being mild and 4 being severe. A grade 1 luxation is where the kneecap barely slides over the edge, but readily returns to its normal position. A grade 4 is where the kneecap slides out of place and does not return its anatomically appropriate spot. I hope yours is not a 4! The patella luxation is the most common orthopedic problem my dad sees in small dogs in his clinical practice. It can limit your mobility and eventually will lead to arthritis (joint inflammation) or even worse problems, such as rupture of some of the ligaments that hold the knee in place (cranial cruciate ligament, others). It is important that we know if this process has already started, so make sure you ask your mom to have your vet take radiographs. If needed, you can be mildly sedated for this process, as your small limbs can be hard to keep still for the process. Just enjoy the chemically induced ride and all will be fine. Using cortisone and other anti-inflammatory medication can help in the short term, but there are some steps that should be taken to make your joints healthier and feel less stress. Ultimately, this is a management issue that can benefit from the addition of omega 3 fatty acids, like fish oil, which has a natural anti-inflammatory effect. I like Nutramax Welactin, as it is easy to dose and tastes yummy. Alternatively, you could eat an omega 3 fatty acid rich food, like Purina JM or Hill's Science Diet J/D. Additionally, a veterinary joint supplement with glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and possibly MSM will make your joints healthier and benefit your cartilage. I take Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM, which my dad feels is the best oral veterinary joint supplement on the market. A daily dose of these will ultimately reduce your reliance on anti-inflammatory, or other pain medication, to keep you comfortable. Now we need to talk about the inevitable part that all dogs (and people) don't like to hear! You need to lose some weight! I remember seeing your fat rolls hanging over the side of your harness last summer! The heavier you are, the more stress the extra weight puts all of your joints. I would hate to hear about you jumping off of the couch or bed and rupturing one of your intervertebral discs. Imagine being a dog with a bum knee and a blown out back! No fun! My dad can guide your mom through the process of designing a mostly home-prepared diet that will slowly shave off those extra pounds. That winter weight needs to go, as bathing suit season is just around the corner! Please get back to me when your paws feel up for further correspondence. Get some rest, as that is how you heal best! Love, Cardiff