Luxating patella is a painful knee condition in which your pet’s kneecap moves out of its normal groove, leading to limping and eventual discomfort.
Your veterinarian will conduct an exam of your dog and take X-rays of their knee in order to make a diagnosis. They’ll also ask about symptoms which have arisen over time and when.
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The Diagnosis
Luxating patella is a condition affecting many breeds of dog that can lead to severe pain, discomfort, and damage in the trochlear groove where their kneecap sits.
If your dog has a luxation, it’s essential that treatment be sought immediately. Even if the condition appears mild at first, delaying surgery may worsen with time, leading to further injuries and joint issues in later years.
Your veterinarian will perform an orthopedic physical exam and X-rays of the pelvis, knee, and tibia in order to detect luxations issues in your dog and develop a treatment plan tailored specifically to him or her.
Non-surgical options should be explored for dogs with mild luxations; such treatments could include rest, resting in a special dog knee brace and taking medications to decrease inflammation and ease any associated discomfort.
X-Rays
If your pet is diagnosed with luxating patella during a physical examination, their vet may order X-rays to provide a better view of his/her knee joint and potentially detect any underlying conditions that could be contributing to its luxation or damage to ligaments and structures of his/her knee.
Your veterinarian will conduct an orthopedic exam on your dog to examine its leg muscles, ligaments and tendons as well as palpate the kneecap and test its range of motion.
Your vet may suggest performing a CT scan in order to assess the extent of damage to the knee and its surrounding tissues, and then decide upon appropriate treatment strategies for your dog. This may help them decide the most effective path forward.
Dependent upon the severity of your dog’s luxating patella, non-surgical methods such as pain- and anti-inflammatory medications, physiotherapy and exercise control may sometimes be effective in managing this condition. However, if it persists after medical management has been undertaken (Grade II Luxation), surgery may be advised.
Surgical Options
Luxating patella is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting canines, typically occurring on either knee. Treatment options range from surgical intervention to conservative medical approaches.
Non-surgical treatment options typically include pain and anti-inflammatory medication, weight management strategies and physical rehabilitation therapy. While these approaches tend to work for grade I or II luxations, occasionally dogs with grade III and IV luxations require surgical intervention.
In such instances, the surgeon may remove and then replace an excess wedge or block of cartilage and bone that’s too shallow with one that sits deeper within its groove for optimal patella function. This allows your pet’s patella to glide more comfortably on its normal path.
Your vet can perform reconstructive procedures to release tight tissues and tighten loose ones, helping strengthen the kneecap and avoid future dislocations. This process will prevent recurrent dislocations.
Recovery
Normal knee movement involves alignment of quadriceps muscle, kneecap and tendon in a groove formed between femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone), while patella glides up and down this groove.
Luxating patella occurs if the kneecap is pulled out of its groove more frequently than expected, which can be very painful and cause irreparable damage to its cartilage.
Osteoarthritis in dogs may become increasingly worse as time progresses, leading to permanent damage of joints and osteoarthritis in later years.
If the tibia is bent, your vet can perform surgery called Femoral Varus Osteotomy to realign it.
Your veterinarian will use surgical means to deepen the groove for your pup’s patella by extracting a wedge or block of bone and cartilage from their hipbone, sometimes creating an improved surface for patellar movement. Deeper grooves may prove more advantageous.
Your pup will be administered anti-inflammatory and pain reliever medication under sedation; typically recovery takes about 8-10 weeks.