Luxating Patellas

Luxating is a fancy word for dislocating. Patella is your dog's "knee", the joint on the front of her hind leg. So a luxating patella is a dislocating knee or trick knee, a knee that keeps slipping out of its socket. This can happen in yorkies with weak ligaments, tendons, and/or muscles. It can also happen in Yorkies whose kneecap groove is too narrow or shallow. The knee usually slips inwardly, toward her body, and locks so that your Yorkie can't bend her leg.
Suspect luxating patella if your Yorkie sometimes lifts one hind leg while she is running, or if she often moves both rear legs at the same time, like a hopping bunny.
Sometimes the knee slips only for a few moments, then slides back into place. Sometimes the knee slips out and stays out, and your Yorkie will hold her leg off the ground and limp, perhaps tucking her thigh into her body. Luxation may occur in one knee, or in both. It is seen in many other toy breeds, and in both sexes, though it seems to be more common in females. No matter how firm the knees seem as puppies, toy dogs are liable to injure their knees.

Is luxation serious?
There are four degrees (grades) of luxation:

I. The knee only slips out when the vet manipulates it.
II. The knee luxates occasionally when your Yorkie is walking or running. She may not seem to mind much, or she may shriek, but it usually slides back by itself as she continues moving. Or you can slip it back manually (ask the vet to show you how).
III. The knee luxates frequently and causes chronic lameness. Even when you put it back manually, it doesn't seem to last long.
IV. The knee luxates, stays that way, and you can't put it back into its socket. This grade is very rare.

How is luxation treated?

?The first treatment should be to crated for a week or two and supervise the activity - no jumping.
?Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (like Rimadyl). These will hide the symptoms, but do absolutely nothing to strengthen or correct the knee.
?Steroidal anti-inflammatories. These are extremely damaging to the immune system, have awful side effects (short and long term), and should never be used.
?Surgery. Surgery is seldom the answer and should only be done by an orthopedic surgeon. Call the American College of Veterinary Surgeons at (301) 718-6504 and ask for a referral to an orthopedic specialist or college of veterinary medicine in your state. If surgery is your choice, that dog will have problems down the road with arthritis from the surgery. In the opinion of most vets, surgery is overkill for Grade I or II luxating patella. I would only go with surgery on a Grade IV luxation, or on a Grade III that did not respond to natural treatment. Surgery costs about five hundred dollars per leg, it is uncomfortable for your Yorkie, and there is a 50% chance that some degree of luxation will return.

Natural ways to treat your Yorkie:

?Feed fresh foods.
?Keep your Yorkie lean. Fat dogs have to carry more weight on their weak leg joint.
?Moderate exercise, walking up slight inclines (gentle hills), will strengthen the muscle groups around the patella.
?Vitamin C is one of the building blocks of strong ligaments and connective tissue.
Glyco-flex and Glucosamine are nutritional products packed with minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and lubricating agents. They build cartilage and cushioning fluid in injured joints, and help heal damaged connective tissue.

What causes luxating patella?

Occasionally it's caused by an injury, but in the absence of such proof, the weak tendons and/or shallow kneecap groove of luxating patella is considered hereditary. Never breed a Yorkie with any degree of luxation (even a "wiggly" knee), whether it has been repaired or not. Fixing the knee doesn't fix the genes that caused the problem.

OFA Certification
The Orthopedic Foundation of America will issue registration numbers to dogs whose patellas have been x-rayed by a vet, forwarded to the OFA, and found to be normal. This condition is so common in Yorkies that we believe it is essential that all breeders start doing these x-rays before breeding. Then you will be able to INSIST on seeing the OFA certificate for each parent before buying a Yorkie puppy. It will be one more way to pick out the responsible breeders from the rest of the pack.

For More Information visit the Orthopedic Foundation of America

Sources
?Chihuahua Kingdom Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW http://3lbdogs.com/wellness/
?Shumsky, Terri (1993) How to buy your Toy Dog, and Raise it Expensively California Creations by Terri.

What is patellar luxation?

The knee cap (patella) normally fits into a groove in the thigh bone (femur). The
patella slides up and down in this groove as the leg bends and straightens. Patellar
luxation means that the knee cap has slipped out of the groove. There are several
reasons why this happens, including malformation of the groove. Luxation may
happen only occasionally, or may happen continuously. The knee cap may pop back
into the groove on its own, or your veterinarian may need to push it back into place.
Your dog will be lame when the patella is out of place. Over time your dog may
develop other degenerative joint changes, such as osteoarthritis.

How is patellar luxation inherited?
The mode of inheritance is not yet known. Some researchers think that this disease
may be polygenic.

What breeds are affected by patellar luxation?
This disease is inherited in the following breeds: miniature and toy poodle, Yorkshire
terrier, Pomeranian, Pekingese, Chihuahua, Boston terrier, Basset hound, Shih-tzu,
Silky terrier, and Lhasa apso.  (Patellar luxation may also occur in any breed as a
result of trauma.)
For many breeds and many disorders, the studies to determine the mode of
inheritance or the frequency in the breed have not been carried out, or are
inconclusive. We have listed breeds for which there is a consensus among those
investigating in this field and among veterinary practitioners, that the condition is
significant in this breed.

What does patellar luxation mean to your dog & you?
When present, the condition is usually evident in young dogs by around 6 months of
age, but if mild it may go unnoticed until the dog is older. When the knee cap is out of
place, your dog will be lame and may refuse to bear weight, or his/her knee may be
"locked". The severity of the condition varies widely. In mild cases, the knee cap may
only slip out of place occasionally, causing your dog to "hop" for a few steps, and
then it may slide back into the groove on its own. In severe cases, the knee cap slips
out of place more often, or is never in a normal position. It may not go back into the
groove on its own and your veterinarian may need to push it back into place.
As a result of patellar luxation, your dog may develop other degenerative joint
changes, such as osteoarthritis. If your dog has a mild case of this disease, you may
not notice the actual luxation, but your dog may eventually develop pain due to
osteoarthritis.

How is patellar luxation diagnosed?
Your veterinarian will diagnose this disease based on physical examination and
palpation. He/she may take radiographs to see if your dog has other problems (such
as osteoarthritis) as a result of this disease.

How is patellar luxation treated?
The treatment and long term outcome (prognosis) depend on the severity of disease
(how often the knee cap slips out of place, and how easily it slips back into the
normal position), and whether there are other problems such as osteoarthritis.
Moderate or severe cases often require surgery to make sure that the knee cap stays
in the groove in the femur, and to prevent painful osteoarthritis. Exercise restriction is
important for a period after surgery, and the results are usually very good.

For the veterinarian:
Patellar luxation may be classified in four grades, with grade I being the most mild.
Mild patellar luxation may be discovered as an incidental finding. Severe cases in
growing dogs may result in limb deformity. Surgery is usually recommended in
moderate or severe cases to stabilize the patella and correct the underlying anatomic
deformity. Surgical correction may or may not stop the progression of degenerative
joint disease, and reluxation is a possible complication of surgery.

Breeding advice
Affected dogs, as well as their parents, their litter-mates, and any dog which has had
surgery for patellar luxation, should not be bred. The Orthopedic Foundation of
America - www.offa.org - and Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals -  
www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/gdc/gdc.html - have registries for this condition.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DISORDER, PLEASE SEE
YOUR VETERINARIAN.

We do not guarantee the puppies against this disorder

because the fact that a distant ancestor may have

carried the fault, and it can also result from a injury.

Here at Belles Beautiful Butterflys we strive to produce
healthy, quality puppies but can not predict the
unforeseen.

L'egg Perthes

Legg-Perthes, also called Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) disease, is a disease of the hip joints of small breeds of dogs. The head of the femur (the ball part of the ball and socket) begins to die and disintegrate. This causes limping, pain, and eventually arthritis. It usually appears between 6-12 months of age. It is treated surgically by removing the head of the femur and letting the muscles form a "false joint." It really does work. The dogs recuperate very well from surgery.

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (aseptic or a vascular necrosis of the femoral head)
Avascular necrosis occurs when the bone that makes up the ball portion of the hip is damaged from lack of blood supply. The reasons this occurs are not clear. Since a higher incidence of this disorder is noted in several dog breeds, including terrier breeds, miniature pinscher, poodles and possibly schipperkes, it is assumed that there may be a genetic component to the problem. In Manchester terriers, the genetic component appears to be a strong influence and heritability is pretty high for this problem.
Most of the time the clinical signs of this disease occur in 4 to 11 month old dogs and usually consist of lameness of one leg only. Pain may be mild to very severe. Some dogs have mild forms of this condition and do not require medical care. In other dogs, the condition cause sufficient pain and deformity of the hip joint to require surgical intervention. The disorder can usually be confirmed with X-rays. Atrophy of the muscles of the affected leg is not uncommon. If this is severe it can slow the recovery period considerably and may make medical therapy less likely to work.
Treatment of this condition varies according to the severity of the signs seen. In mild cases, enforced rest may be sufficient to allow healing of the damaged areas to occur. In some cases, immobilization of the affected limb using an Ehmer sling may be beneficial to recovery. Many dogs have advanced cases of this disease by the time they are examined by a veterinarian and medical treatment is not likely to work. In these dogs, excision of the femoral head (ball portion of the hip joint) is often beneficial. Removal of this section of the bone diminishes painful bony contact in the hip joint. Recovery from this surgery can be slow with recovery periods of up to one year sometimes occurring before good use of the affected leg returns. If muscle atrophy is not present at the time of surgery the recovery time is usually much less. Pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications may be beneficial.
There is a stronger tendency to treat this as a medical condition prior to surgery right now. A general rule of thumb is to allow non-surgical therapy a month to show a beneficial response. If one is not seen, surgical repair should be considered more carefully.

Sources
?Jack Russel Terrier L'egg Perthes Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW http://www.terrier.com/medical/legg.htm
?Shumsky, Terri (1993) How to buy your Toy Dog, and Raise it Expensively California Creations by Terri.
?Richard, Michael, DVM Q&A-DR Mike Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW http

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar, which is a condition in which there is a drastic, sudden drop in the level of blood sugar in the puppy. In small breed puppies from post-weaning to 4 month of age, the most common form of hypoglycemia is called Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia: "Transient" because the symptoms can be reversed by eating; "Juvenile" because it is seen in young puppies.

Background on blood sugar:
Glucose is the "simple" sugar that the body uses for "fuel" to run its various functions. Table sugar, or sucrose, is made up of two simple sugars, glucose and fructose, and can be broken down rapidly after eating. All sugars are carbohydrates. Grains are also carbohydrates but are considered "complex" carbohydrates because they have many more components and take longer to be broken down. The body uses glucose as its primary energy source. All the parts of the body except the brain can, if needed, use alternate energy sources--fatty acids, for example, which the body accesses by breaking down fat stores. The brain, however, is completely dependent upon glucose to function. If the glucose in the blood is lower than normal, the brain function is the first to show signs. The liver is responsible for manufacturing glucose and for storing it in a usable form, for release into the blood stream as needed. Muscle tissues store some of the important materials used in this process. Therefore, a serious liver abnormality or insufficient muscle mass may make it difficult for the body to keep its blood sugar properly regulated.

How are small breeds different?
Puppies of very small and toy breeds of dogs have characteristics that make them more prone to the development of Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia, which is brought on by fasting. Pups of any breed are more likely to develop hypoglycemia than adults, because their skeletal muscle mass and liver size are smaller and brain size, larger, in proportion to the rest of their body. Therefore, there is less glucose being put out into the blood and more being used by the brain, which is dependent upon adequate glucose in order to function. In small and toy breeds, this discrepancy is more pronounced. Even a brief period of fasting in a toy breed puppy can trigger a hypoglycemic "attack. Puppies with Transient Juvenile Hypoglycemia have normal liver size and function, but inadequate glucose precursors or glucose in its stored form (body fat).

What are the symptoms?
Signs of an attack are a weakness, confusion, wobbly gait, frothing or drooling from the mouth - sometimes even a seizure and drain of blood from the head. A check of the gums will show them to be pale, almost a grayish white in color rather than a healthy bright pink. The puppy can go into shock and, if not cared for properly and promptly, may even die.

What causes it?
Episodes of hypoglycemia often occur without warning. A puppy may be stressed by shipping, or because of their tiny size toy puppies cannot eat a lot at one time, and literally run out of fuel quickly, being chilled, or even exhaustion from too much play may cause the body to use up more sugar than is available. For the young pup prone to this condition, even a brief period of fasting in a toy breed puppy can trigger a hypoglycemic "attack". Recurring hypoglycemic attacks in toy puppies can cause brain damage. Puppies should be fed several times a day a high quality diet. Most puppies will outgrow the problem. Some very tiny dogs will continue to have bouts of hypoglycemia through out their life

What is the Treatment?
Feeding recommendations for puppies at risk for hypoglycemia include: frequent (4-5 times a day) feedings of high-carbohydrate, high -protein and/or -fat foods. Feeding soft moist foods may help to prevent a hypoglycemia attack due to the high sugar content. Gatorade mixed with a little honey, Ringers lactate with dextrose or Pedialyte are good products to use if dog is having an attack. These products have electrolytes, which ailing puppies need. Honey and corn syrup can be used also. For pups who have had recurrent or prolonged signs, monitoring the urine for ketones with a "dipstick" made for diabetics is helpful, since a return to "ketone negative status" signals a return to normalcy. If these measures don't correct the problem, a trip to the vet is recommended. Eating food that is readily digested and metabolized will reverse minor signs, but intravenous glucose administration is required for severe cases.

If your puppy is conscious, give him/her a little Karo Syrup, or Honey under its tongue, or rubbed on its gums. You can also mix honey, or corn syrup with pedialite, stir to dissolve, and dribble it into the puppy's mouth. I think that Nutri-Cal also works extremely well in an emergency. I will give my puppy a ?squeeze of Nutri-Cal' into their month. The puppy should begin to improve within about ten to fifteen minutes, if not contact your vet as quickly as you can.

(Nutri-Cal is a high calorie dietary supplement in a low volume form. It is a great tasting vitamin paste. You can purchase this tube for under $10.00. I recommend that you have this on hand for all emergencies and especially when you travel with your yorkie.)

Are there other causes of Hypoglycemia in puppies?
There are numerous other causes of hypoglycemia in puppies, but they are much less common. It is important to distinguish between whether the signs of hypoglycemia occur with fasting or just following a meal. Hypoglycemia can also be an inherited condition. If a female has been hypoglycemic, it's likely that she will pass it on to her puppies. Some problems are caused by liver problems, such as a defect involving an abnormal blood vessel shunt (a "detour," of sorts) around the liver, and some are caused by hereditary metabolic defects, hormone defects and deficiencies, and severe bacterial infections. All of these are serious problems that need to be diagnosed as soon as possible.

Resources:
Vet@Dog Dr. Lucy L. Pinkston, D.V.M. http://www.dog.com/vet/nutrition/03.html 3-10-03
Drs Foster & Smith http://www.DrsFosterSmith.com
Yorkieviews.com 3-10-2003

tMale vs Female

Many people believe that female dogs make better pets...female preference seems to be ingrained in these people. Most calls for pet dogs have people wanting a 'sweet girl'. They don't think females display alpha behaviours like 'marking' and/or 'humping'. They believe that they are more docile and attentive and do not participate in fighting over dominance.

Well folks, this is not true and they don't call them a 'bitch' for nothing!

In the dog pack makeup, females usually rule the roost, determine pecking order, and who compete to maintain and/or alter that order. The females are, as a result, more independent, stubborn, and territorial than their male counterparts. The females are much more intent upon exercising their dominance by participating in alpha behaviors such as 'humping'. There IS a reason people utilize the technical dog term of 'bitch' in a negative way-and it refers directly to the behaviors exhibited by the females of the dog world. Most fights will usually break out between 2 females. Males, on the other hand, are usually more affectionate, exuberant, attentive, and more demanding of attention. They are very attached to their people. They also tend to be more steadfast, reliable, and less moody. They are more outgoing, more accepting of other pets, and take quicker to children. Most boys are easily motivated by food (how true!!) and praise, and so eager to please that training is easy. However, males can be more easily distracted during training, as males like to play so often. And no matter what age, he is more likely to act silly and more puppy-like, always wanting to play games. Boys are fun-loving until the day they die. Females tend to be more reserved or dignified as they age. Witness the human equivalent of the twinkling eyed Grandpa still playing catch at age 70, while Grandma quietly observes from the porch.

Neutered males rarely exhibit secondary sexual behavior such as 'humping', or 'marking' and lifting of legs. Once the testosterone levels recede after neutering, most of these behaviors (if they ever existed) will disappear. Boys who were neutered early (by 5 months of age) usually don't ever raise their leg to urinate.

While the female will usually come to you for attention, when she's had enough, she will move away. While boys are always waiting for your attention and near at hand. Females are usually less distracted during training, as she is more eager to get it over with, and get back to her comfy spot on the couch. The female is less likely to wage a dominance battle with YOU, but she can be cunning and resourceful in getting her own way. She is much more prone to mood swings. One day she may be sweet and affectionate-the next day reserved and withdrawn or even grumpy. The female also has periods of being 'in heat' unless she is spayed.

Seasonal heats can be a three week long hassle not just for the female, but you and every male dog in the neighborhood. Did we mention that the seasonal heats happen TWICE a year?

If you are not breeding, you'd be best off to have her spayed since during this time she can leave a bloody discharge on carpets, couches, or anywhere she goes. She will be particularly moody and emotional during this time. A walk outside during this period can become hazardous if male dogs are in the vicinity, and she will leave a 'scent' for wandering intact males to follow right to your yard, where they will hang out, and 'wait' for days.

Research has also proven that a female NOT bred during a heat cycle stays in a flux of estrogen level which may give us the reason as to why females are more moody than males.

Males generally cost 1/2 the price to have neutered as a female does to be spayed.