Luxating Patella In A 3.5 Month Old Kitten

[Mycki1209]

Hello,
I have a 3.5 month old kitten named Squirt and wednesday night after I took her to the vet to get her second set of shots (she was part of a feral/stray colony thing at our neighbor's house and she just walked up to us and let us pick her up), I noticed that she was severely limping and her left leg was turned inwards. I took her to the vet yesterday and the vet was looking at her and we saw her knee cap pop back into place. The vet determined Squirt has a luxating patella however she never took an x-ray so we don't know the severity level. While we were at the vet, her knee popped in and out a couple times. The vet said we can keep an eye on it for the next three weeks until her next appointment but she said that since Squirt is so young they may want to wait to do the surgery.
Her knee popped back out and I believe it has been out since yesterday and I haven't been able to get it back in. She doesn't seem to be in pain but I've noticed she has been having a hard time walking properly and she can't stand up but she is running around and playing. My question is, should I push the vet to do the surgery now or wait? I don't want her to be in pain or cause any issues down the line. I just want her to be ok. I can feel her knee cap being out.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! I'm concerned that some damage may be done if it stays out. Can you take her in, get it popped back in and have it splinted or something so it stays in place?

 

[Mycki1209]

I take her in tomorrow so they can look at it and possibly get x-rays. The thing about the vet popping it back into place is that it will pop back out just like yesterday. She is very active so I'm not sure how well a splint will work I just don't want her to be in pain and have this cause issues down the line.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hang in there! Hopefully they can come up with something

 

[Mycki1209]

have you had to go through this?

 

[Furballsmom]

Not with any of my cats, or people, no

 

[Mycki1209]

darn I was hoping to figure out if I should push for the surgery or not. I guess I have to wait until tomorrow for the x-rays to see the severity

 

[1 bruce 1]

I take her in tomorrow so they can look at it and possibly get x-rays. The thing about the vet popping it back into place is that it will pop back out just like yesterday. She is very active so I'm not sure how well a splint will work I just don't want her to be in pain and have this cause issues down the line.

I have little experience with this in cats, but do in dogs, so don't take this as gospel.
In dog people, pups 3-5 months old with patella problems (or even heart murmurs) aren't written off as having lifelong problems. As strange as it sounds, sometimes youngsters grow out of this, but sometimes they don't.
Myself, I wouldn't rush into surgery just yet unless it's causing her obvious pain/limitations and the X-rays show damage to the joint at this age.
Knowing how to read X-rays for yourself is good, if you don't, don't stress over it.
For now just keep him as quiet as a 5 month old can be. And try to relax, yourself, if you can; our emotions are theirs and they feed off of our stress and worry. It's rough (God, I know!) but it'll be OK no matter what the vet says tomorrow. Just take it a day at a time.

 

[Mycki1209]

So I went to see the vet that would be doing the surgery and he said that her right knee seems solid (meaning there isnt an issue with it) so the dislocated patella might just be from an injury. He was able to pop it back into place but as soon as he moved her leg, it dislocated again. He seemed very concerned about it and said she needs surgery soon so that it doesn't cause any issues since its not a genetic thing and since it wont stay back in place. She goes in on Wednesday. On a good note, she will be getting fixed and microchipped at the same time so we wont have to worry about that. Now I just have to figure out the best way to arrange her pen while she is in solitary confinement lol This is her

 

[Kieka]

She's a cutie. Here was my set up when my boy was crated:

15391206_10154157601986453_7047938849713664773_n.j

• Kieka
• Mar 28, 2017

I did a complete clean and bedding change daily. Plus cleaned litter box every time he used it. But... My boy is loud and a clean freak who will yell until you clean. This thread might help, What Made Your "confined-to-crate-rest" Cat Relax? Offer Some Handy Tips....

 

[Mycki1209]

I think I am going to get a small crate for her litter box. She likes to lay in her litter box so hopefully the bandages will help to protect the wound. The vet said that she will have to be on crate rest for a month, does that sound about right?

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

So I went to see the vet that would be doing the surgery and he said that her right knee seems solid (meaning there isnt an issue with it) so the dislocated patella might just be from an injury. He was able to pop it back into place but as soon as he moved her leg, it dislocated again. He seemed very concerned about it and said she needs surgery soon so that it doesn't cause any issues since its not a genetic thing and since it wont stay back in place. She goes in on Wednesday. On a good note, she will be getting fixed and microchipped at the same time so we wont have to worry about that. Now I just have to figure out the best way to arrange her pen while she is in solitary confinement lol This is her

Hi, Mycki1209!
Did Squirt have her [left?] knee surgery on Wednesday?
How is she doing?

 

[Mycki1209]

She is doing good. The vet said that he deepened the groove and tightened the ligaments on the outside of her knee to help it not slip again. She doesnt like the cone but she wont keep a onesie on. She goes in on the 14th to get the sutures out.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Poor little Squirt! But she looks good in those photos! Look at her, sporting her two new scars.


She's a beauty.

My cat had surgeries on both kneecaps... similar to yours. Except that my kitty was about 16 mos old during the first surgery, and nearly 2- 1/2 years old for the 2nd surgery. Your sweet little one is very young to have her surgery!

We're all pulling for her (and for you, as you take care of her!) -- the first 6-8 weeks of cage rest is very important for her future success.

 

[Mycki1209]

Yeah she is a trooper. The vet said she was being difficult to keep calm so they gave us the calming pills used for 4th of july so she is a bit dopey lol

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

How is little Squirt doing, M Mycki1209 ? (I love her name )

Lots of good vibes being sent your way!

 

[Mycki1209]

She was so tiny when we got her (2.1 lbs at 11 weeks). Her surgery went well and even when she got the cone off in the middle of the night, she didn't mess with her stitches. However she has had a rough 4 months of life lol. When we rescued her from the feral colony next door, she had a URI (got antibiotics for that), then she had a bacterial infection which caused eye goopies (got antibiotics for that), then she hurt herself which got her surgery, then the day before she got her stitches out we saw evidence of tape worm (got a dewormer shot). Took a fecal sample in to make sure she was clear, only to find out she has the intestinal infection giardia and an ear infection (got antibiotics for both). Even with her being sick, she still loves to play, be held and petted.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

 

[dcat]

Hello,
I have a 3.5 month old kitten named Squirt and wednesday night after I took her to the vet to get her second set of shots (she was part of a feral/stray colony thing at our neighbor's house and she just walked up to us and let us pick her up), I noticed that she was severely limping and her left leg was turned inwards. I took her to the vet yesterday and the vet was looking at her and we saw her knee cap pop back into place. The vet determined Squirt has a luxating patella however she never took an x-ray so we don't know the severity level. While we were at the vet, her knee popped in and out a couple times. The vet said we can keep an eye on it for the next three weeks until her next appointment but she said that since Squirt is so young they may want to wait to do the surgery.
Her knee popped back out and I believe it has been out since yesterday and I haven't been able to get it back in. She doesn't seem to be in pain but I've noticed she has been having a hard time walking properly and she can't stand up but she is running around and playing. My question is, should I push the vet to do the surgery now or wait? I don't want her to be in pain or cause any issues down the line. I just want her to be ok. I can feel her knee cap being out.

my 9 month old kitty had double luxating patellas, couldn't walk (was fine his first 8 months too... could leap tall buildings). Was told best to wait till one year old for surgery due to bonee growth and plates and what not... but at 10 months he couldn't walk at all and we had to do it.

"Board Certified" Vet surgeons were quoting me from $2700 - $3300 per knee. I never thought to ask our new vet we started with when we adopted him months earlier... then he told us he had done this surgery over 60 times already, but only once for a cat (luxating patellas are very common in pedigree small dogs). His price was $2250 total (doing both knees at the same surgery, which we preferred to one at a time six to nine months apart). He performed the surgery and 4 years later my black and white Dexter is the acrobatt in the house. Best of luck with your kitty.