Maggie's current adventure

This week Miss Maggie went to the Vets for a visit and overnight stay.

We had noticed a while back the sometimes when she is playing and running and changing direction a lot that her leg seems to lock up fully extended. After a few hops, it unlocks and she is all back to normal. She isn't in any pain when this happens, and will happily come and have her leg checked out.

We mentioned this to Dr Harry (her vet) when we went in for a checkup. After a bit of investigating and checking her over, he told us she had Luxating Patellas. Basically, her knee cap moves out of its little groove, and dislocates, locking her leg up, until she pops it back in. She has it on both legs, but worse on the left one.

This is pretty unusual for a border collie, as its most common in small and miniature breeds of dog.

We got a second opinion from the orthopedic specialist at the vet clinic, who then sent us off for another option at a specialist centre. All agreed that it was luxating patellas (for a while there was a worry that she might have had something wrong with her back as well, but all is fine there).

So on Wednesday, Maggie went to the vets and had surgery on her left knee. All went well, and the vets where very happy with how it all went. And on Thursday morning, Spanky went and picked her up and brought her home.

Maggie looks a little naked, with her left leg all shaved. The surgery site looks pretty good though. She isn't trying to lick her stitches, although we think its annoying her that she cant scratch her head properly. She is getting around well, when she is standing still she is has the left leg down to help balance and although not using it to walk, she is toe tapping with it.

Its currently fun trying to get a 1.5yr old energetic border collie to 'rest', but by being home with her its helping.

So, for 2 weeks, she is to rest up and do very little (we have someone home with her the whole time to try and achieve this) then she will have another 4 weeks with reduced activity (but will have small walks that build up to bigger ones). She will need the right knee done, but we have to see how long it takes her to recover from this one before we book the next surgery in.

It will be interesting watching the hair on her leg grow back!!