Coco's Luxating Patella...

I am writing this with a heavy heart right now. On Friday evening, Coco Bean was playing with a sock that she had taken from the hamper. She would throw it in the air, chase after it and roll around with it. About 20 minutes into this, all of a sudden she would not put her back left leg down.

I laid her on her back and moved her little leg around with no reaction from her. We got into bed and as she always does, she laid down on my stomach. she would whimper or grunt and shiver almost the entire night. The next morning, she was acting fine but i noticed that she was skipping more noticeably than usual.

On Sunday when she was getting her bath, her back leg went out from under her and she fell hard on her left hip and then refused to put her leg down. Within an hour, she was back to her perky loving self.

Although she was acting and walking normal (except for the more noticeable skip) i knew i had to take her to her doctor. Today after work i brought her to the appointment and they took an x-ray.

when they brought me back into the room, this is what i saw:Coco's x-ray and a diagram and a book with drawings of a kneeThey did not have my little Coco Bean with them. Instead, they were giving her pain medication. Her little knee is so bad that her patella (knee cap) is off to the side of her knee and wont even stay in place. i immediately asked how soon they would be able to do the surgery to fix her little knee...at this point, i dont care how much it will cost. i just want my little angel to be well and pain free.

they asked if they could keep her over night to keep her hooked up to an IV of fluids and pain medication so that they could do the surgery first thing in the morning and i agreed. but first they brought her to me so that i could say goodnight and kiss her and tell her how much i love her.

i miss my little angel so much right now i dont know how i am going to sleep without her. i feel so horrible that i did not know she was having this problem and extreme pain because she hid it so well.

they told me that this surgery will not only fix this problem and free her of her pain, but it is an incredibly successful surgery and will fix it permanently and i wont have to worry about her little left knee luxating again.

The whole surgery package (x-ray, blood work, IV's, catheter, etc) is going to cost me $1,032.00.

I ask that you keep my little Coco Bean in your prayers and thoughts tonight, tomorrow, and through her recovery. I know that if we all come together the power of the paw will get her through this safely.

~The Mommy