Hello! Happy to have found this forum. I'm an emotional mess and don't know what to do. 

So our rescue dog (1.5 year pit) hurt her knee when we were playing frisbee. This was maybe 13 weeks ago. Her knee cap evidently popped out and the ER told us to get a consult with a surgeon. So we went the following week to a surgeon and he suggested doing surgery immediately. I was in such a panic so I said just to do whatever they needed to. Wish I would have researched what a grade 2 subluxation was before I consented. But emotions were high. And so was the price tag. I basically paid double that what other places charge (found this out after the fact). So $4200 and we thought it would all be fine. 

Lana started to get a weird bump on her back leg but away from the sutures. Surgeon said it was just a seroma and it'll go away. So we go back for the 2 week check up and the x-ray showed that the knee was malpositioned again and he said she possibly tore a ligament too and needed another surgery. He graciously didn't charge us his fee, but we still had to pay $2700 for the facility fee. Well turns out she only partially tore the ligament so he grafted her muscle to the knee cap to keep it in place. Also turns out that the seroma wasn't a seroma . It was an MRSA infection from the hardware they used on the 1st surgery. Lana was casted for 6 weeks and had to take crazy meds during that time. 

Finally after 6 weeks, we thought the journey was over and she'd be back to her normal self. Well, no. X-ray showed that the knee cap is in a worse position that before the FIRST surgery. I just don't get it. Surgeon said if it was his dog, he'd amputate the leg. Wait. How did we go from a grade 2 subluxation to amputation?? After researching, most docs don't even do surgery on a grade 2. 

So now we've paid another $1100 for physical therapy. 6 sessions total. She will put the back leg down and use it a little during therapy exercises, but otherwise, she won't put it down if we're around the house or out for a walk (she will put it down to go to bathroom). I feel like everyone has given up hope at this point. And it just doesn't make sense to me. Why will she put it down sometimes without pain but otherwise holds it up? Another surgery is going to break us financially and I don't know if her spirit can handle it either. 

I just hate this and don't know what to do. If it was cancer, it'd be a no brainer to have the amputation. But this is such a weird scenario and I can't bring myself to do it. She is so young and so active (loves ball and frisbee and tug and fetch). I feel like she won't be able to do anything she likes if she loses her leg. And then long term issues of arthritis, etc. 

Sorry about the rant/vent. I just don't know what to do.