Just goes to show........

[WingedFoal]

Tasmo has patellar luxation, but it hadn't shown up until the past six weeks. Just goes to show that you can't see a dog's health problems until they are older. Nobody saw it coming until he started limping and the vet diagnosed it. I'm just glad that it showed up this early (he's almost two), or else I might have been showing him and perhaps breeding him on down the line if he showed well. The PL is one reason why I've had him neutered, along with the fact that he has turned into a real male dog.... Lifting leg on everything, aggression, etc.

Does anyone know about the surgery involved with it? I hate watching him limp, we went to the park today and within five minutes of playing, he was already having problems with his back legs. It's heartbreaking to watch because he wants to play SOOO bad, but one knee is completely awful.

Also, he was doing super well with children today, not even barking at them. Many came up to pet him and love on him, and he just wagged his butt at them and licked them. As some of you may have read, he attacked a child a few weeks ago, and I've been working diligently on resocializing him. He even ignored most of the kids today, but right when we were leaving, he tried to attack a child. The child was running like a maniac towards Tasmo, and Tasmo lost it. Can't say I blame him, but good grief. This just means I can't take him anywhere to relax. I'm starting to think he is a dog just for home. Poor Tasmo.

My mother saw the incident where he tried to attack the child today and she automatically condemned him. She thinks he's horribly aggressive, and she completely threw out the 2 hours he spent happily licking the kids who petted him. I don't know if that's fair to do or not....

Since his neutering he's made the most drastic changes I've ever seen a dog make! He doesn't even hardly mark Bitty's pee anymore (gross, maybe, but true!!)!! He's not anywhere near as aggressive as before (usually) and he listens much better now that hormones aren't controlling his brain as much. He even squats to pee sometimes now, something that he would have rather died than do a few weeks ago.

So, here's a few questions in this one post:
- As asked before, does anyone know about the surgery for patellar luxation (as in amount of pain, if it is worth it for the dog, cost, how extreme PL has to be in order to have surgery)?
- Is Tasmo doomed to be a homebody? (I understand this question is completely silly, but I am still just so upset - not at Tasmo, or anyone for that matter, except for me. I just hate that it seems like torture for both Tasmo and me to be around kids. It was just a split second and he turned into an angry biting machine.)
Okay thanks for letting me rant. Any suggestions or advice would be loved too.

[flyndog]

Originally Posted by WingedFoal

....- Is Tasmo doomed to be a homebody? (I understand this question is completely silly, but I am still just so upset - not at Tasmo, or anyone for that matter, except for me. I just hate that it seems like torture for both Tasmo and me to be around kids. It was just a split second and he turned into an angry biting machine.)
Okay thanks for letting me rant. Any suggestions or advice would be loved too.

Winged, I'm so sorry to hear about Tasmo. You're right. You know the answer to this one. He is doomed until you can get help for his aggression. You must keep Tasmo away from anything that triggers his aggression. If he's going to be in public, muzzle him. This is serious business. I had no idea he was attacking kids. Pain from his knees isn't going to make him any friendlier. The neutering, espeically at his age, doesn't usually help with this kind of behavior. As it happens, I'm working with an aggressive Boston right now so I have info at hand for you if you want to PM me.

Kit

[doberkim]

Originally Posted by WingedFoal

So, here's a few questions in this one post:
- As asked before, does anyone know about the surgery for patellar luxation (as in amount of pain, if it is worth it for the dog, cost, how extreme PL has to be in order to have surgery)?

there are a variety of surgeries that can be done, but it depends on the degree of luxation. did the vet grade his luxation? i would see an orthopedic surgeon for this. grades 1-2 dont NEED surgery (though it can be done). surgery really edpends on what the joint looks like - how deep the groove is, if there is any bone deformity, etc. you can have a trochlear wedge recession, tibial tuberosity transposition, etc. amount of pain - should be managed with pain meds. most dogs are weight bearing within 24-48 hours. requires extensive rest and relaxation though, or the surgery can break down. cost depends on where and who does it, and if both sides are done. anywhere from 800-3000. if you want to do the surgery depends on you and how much it affects your dogs quality of life.

- Is Tasmo doomed to be a homebody?

i think you are going about this the opposite way -t here is no reason he needs to have contact with children. dont take him to parks, not when kids are around. dont take him to places kids will be, or kids frequent. i know many dogs that arent GREAT with kids, who exist just fine and go many places. in addition, if the dog is controlled and on a leash, it cant be any harm to a child. you can take him out, but you need to be responsible for his actions and not put him in positions that he is doomed to fail. IMO, taking him to a park and letting kids play with him with a few weeks ago he attacked a child is NOT acting responsibly. dont put him in bad situations - not until this is dealt with in one way or another.

[ChiChi]

ooo goodness! Brody doesnt like little kids hugging on him either *thankx to my sisters handling him th ewrong way* i mean, he tolerates them, but yea..... i totally agree w/ Kit...

[WingedFoal]

I can admit wholeheartedly I was in the wrong. He was leashed and controlled the whole time, was not allowed to "play" with any children - only petted by them when I was watching completely, and he did extremely well most of the time until we began to leave, and that child came running wildly to him. I could not control the child, and yes, now I see I should not have allowed Tasmo to be in that situation, because it scared him into aggression. I have been working hard with him too, trying to teach him what is socially acceptable, but he had enough and the child freaked him out. Which I also know was my fault. I'm definitely not proud about letting it happen.

Yes I know the answer to this one. I have seriously been thinking of rehoming him or even putting him to sleep (with all the problems that are compounding it seems). I cannot have an aggressive dog in the house. But, at home he is a loving, kind companion. The only thing is, I used to take him everywhere with me, and I liked being able to do that. Bitty is great, but she can never compare to what Tasmo used to be, and I don't understand what has made him do this turnaround so quickly and completely. I'm going to take him to my vet next week to get him checked out AGAIN because he used to not be like this at ALL. Until I make a final decision he will be at home and only at home. I don't think I've ever been more upset in my entire life about Tasmo.

I can say that I won't be taking him anywhere anymore until I know exactly what to do. I know I won't let this happen again, by any means, unless it is completely out of my control. I don't think he's hopeless though, but I'm at a loss on how to help him.

Thank you for your input.