Is surgery safe and recommended for my senior dog's luxating patella?

Question

My dog has luxating patella she is a 16 year old miniature poodle would surgery be considered. Pet's info: Dog | Poodle | Female | spayed | 15 years and 10 months old | 17 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Whether or not surgery is recommended for this condition depends on how much it is bothering the dog. Many dogs with luxating patellas have very little lameness and are not overly bothered by this problem - so in that case, surgery would not be recommended. If Penny is significantly lame and painful in her knee and your vet believes that it is due to her luxating patella, then surgery would certainly be a reasonable option as long as she is otherwise healthy. Many older dogs have surgery for various conditions with no problems, provided that there are no underlying health issues (heart disease, kidney disease, etc.) that would increase the risk of anesthesia. If your dog does have some chronic health issues, I would recommend discussing the pros and cons of surgery with your vet.

Is surgery safe and recommended for my senior dog's luxating patella?

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