Patella luxation in dogs can give for various reasons It can be congenital, or caused by trauma. Small breeds in the adult stage are more prone to this injury. Among large and giant breeds it usually happens in their puppy stage. Remember that dogs with congenital dislocation should not reproduce as they could transmit this he alth problem to their puppies.
Keep reading the following article on our site to learn more about the patellar luxation in dogs, symptoms and treatment.
What is patellar luxation in dogs?
The patella is a small bone that exists in the front part of the knee. When this bone displaces its place due to genetic or traumatic causes, the dog suffers pain and locomotion problems, which even in severe cases can render the limb useless affected. In cases of traumatic patellar dislocation, rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee is usually associated.
We can identify two kinds of dislocations of patellas in dogs. These are:
- Patella dislocation in dogs medial: it is the most frequent, occurring in 80% of cases.
- Patella Luxation in Dogs Lateral: Frequently becomes bilateral. Females, small dogs and toys are more prone to it.
Once the dislocation is detected, it can be classified into 4 different degrees that we will see below.
Degrees of patellar luxation in dogs
There are different degrees of patellar luxation in dogs. Among them, we can highlight the following:
- Grade I: Characteristics of first degree dislocation are based on a intermittency in the dislocation, causing a limp when the patella is out of place. Dogs affected every three or four steps flex the leg, or take a little jump.
- Grade II: second-degree dislocation is characterized by being a much more frequent dislocationthan the previous. The patella dislocates frequently. Many dogs suffer from this ailment for years, before leading to progressive arthritis. The symptoms are a slight external rotation of the leg when walking, which causes lameness and can cause great incapacitation in the dog.
- Grade III: Third degree dislocation is characterized by the patella being permanently Dislocated without periods of improvement. It causes considerable outward rotation of the affected leg. A moderate lameness occurs in the dog that suffers from it.
- Grade IV: fourth degree dislocation is characterized by the fact that it remains chronically dislocatedThe lameness that produces considerable leg rotation is very painful and prevents the dog from making certain efforts: climbing stairs, getting into the car, or getting on the sofa. When the dislocation is bilateral, the dog leans on its front legs when walking. In the most serious cases it can be confused with hip problems.
Symptoms of patellar luxation in dogs
Patellar luxation in dogs can become very common, since some can be hereditary from parents to children, although there are also some due to breed. For example, small dogs are more prone to it, such as chihuahuas, bulldogs, dachshunds, bichon m altese or pinschers.
Even so, the most frequent symptoms of patellar luxation in dogs are based on:
- Mild limp
- Abnormal walking movement
- Little jumps when walking
- Sensation of paw hooked during walks
It should be noted that these symptoms of patellar luxation in dogs many times go unnoticed since few levels of severity are shown.
Causes of patellar luxation in dogs
As we mentioned in the previous section, the causes of patellar luxation in dogs can be due to inheritance or else, by the dog breed Even so, there are also other causes that can lead to the badly known knee dislocation in dogs:
- Osteoarthritis
- Old age
- Trauma
- Hip dysplasia in large dogs
We could say that one of the consequences of patellar dislocation in dogs is that, in the affected area, the tension of the soft tissues increases, especially in the ligaments. Which can complicate the situation.
Diagnosis of patellar luxation in dogs
For an accurate diagnosis we must go to the vet who will perform a physical manipulation on the dog and later x-ray Don't forget that to apply a treatment, the professional must follow these steps. Otherwise, the treatment does not have sufficient guarantees to be carried out and that the dog has the chances of recovery that it should.
At the same time, and as a consequence of the diagnosis of patellar luxation in dogs, it will be observed if there is any damage that could have caused this congenital or traumatic problem, for example in the ligaments.
Treatments for patellar luxation in dogs
To cure patellar luxation in dogs, the options range from conservative medical treatments to more alternatives orthopedic There are multiple forms of surgical treatment and traumatologists veterinarians choose the ideal surgery for each case. In cases where surgery fails, or is not indicated, orthopedics offers suitable prosthetics to keep the patella fixed in place. These prosthetics are made to measure for the dog.
It should be mentioned that care should be taken with the exercises for patellar luxation in dogs, since a bad gesture can delay the dog treatment. In addition, the recovery time for patellar dislocation in dogs is approximately 8 to 10 weeks.
