luxating patella

Question
I have a 9 month old long haired chihuahua.  When he walks he "hitches" his
left leg under him.  He bends it up toward his underside. He will do this  
about 3 times when we walk him and then walks normally for awhile and
"hitches" again.  He does not seem in pain, has a good appetite and bowels.  
We have another chihuahua who is 7 months old.   We took him for a second
opinion to Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston, Ma. and they took xrays and
advised surgery. The first vet advised waiting.  I dont know what to do.  I am
also considering homeopathy. Surgery with recovery for 6 weeks will be
difficult with the other puppy in the family. Does luxating patella always get
worse?  Please help.  Thank you.

Answer
There are a lot of opinions about resting and waiting and watching these knees. Some vets recommend surgery right away, some say to rest the leg and watch it.
After helping with some hundred or so patella surgeries I can tell you this:
Once a kneecap starts to go out, it usually always goes out. Why? Because the groove that the patella rides in isn't deep enough to keep it in place.
That is why he is fine and then POP, it slides over the ridge of the groove and is out. They almost always go medial, towards the inside of the leg, and they they will pop back in after a while.
So if the groove isn't deepened, it won't get better.
It's not that a dog can't live with it that way,because they can, but they will forever be limping off and on.

Homeopathy isn't going to do anything because there isn't anything that it can do. The second doctors advised surgery because they must have seen that the groove is very shallow.

While I can't say the knee will get worse, it will not get better.
This is a decision you will have to eventually make. Little dogs are notorious for having this congenital problem and especially Chihuahuas.