The patella is a large bone called a sesamoid that is embedded in the knee joint, which also is referred to as the femorotibial joint or the stifle. The patella actually sits in the tendon of the quadriceps muscle as it passes over the knee joint. Patellar luxation, commonly known as a “slipped knee cap,” occurs when the patella is displaced from the joint. It is one of the most common orthopedic stifle abnormalities in
Patellar luxation is a common, mildly to severely painful condition in domestic dogs. Basically, the patella (kneecap) slips out of place for some reason, resulting in lameness, weakness and pain. It is most commonly seen in young miniature and toy breeds, although any age, gender or breed of dog can develop the disorder.Patellar luxation causes intermittent and chronic hind limb weakness, lameness and pain. The clinical signs of this condition can vary from
Patellar luxation, which tends to be seen most often in young tiny dogs, is not difficult for a skilled veterinarian to diagnose using physical manipulation and radiology.While many competent veterinarians routinely perform a complete blood count, a serum biochemistry profile and a urinalysis on dogs displaying lameness or other obvious signs of pain, the results of these tests are typically inconclusive when patellar luxation is the culprit, because displacement of the patella is not a
The goals of treating dogs with luxating patellas are to relieve pain and to improve function of the knee joint by physically realigning the pertinent bones and stabilizing the patella in its proper anatomical position. When an owner notices her dog limping, reluctant to rise or showing other signs of hind limb discomfort, she should contact her dog’s veterinarian for a thorough assessment of its condition. There are a number of treatment options if patellar