Luxated patella and what this means to your dog and you
Scenario: Let’s say that your child is playing fetch with your one year old Chihuahua when all of a sudden, he cries in pain. You notice that he starts to limp with his lower back leg. Then suddenly, he skips on the other three legs for about 2 to 5 strides and then starts to run normal again as if nothing happened.
Now, let’s say that this incident occurred 3 to 4 more times within the past couple of months, but is becoming more frequent. Should you bring your dog to the vet? The answer is yes, right away! Your dog could be suffering from luxated patella.
Luxated Patella – Is It Necessary To Take Your Dog To The Vet Just For An Occasional Limp?
Luxated patella, also called as “trick knee” or “slipped kneecap”. This painful condition is hereditary in which the kneecap regularly dislocates or moves out of position, especially toward the inside. This condition usually occurs in both legs, but usually to a different extent.
The patella is found in the center of a dog’s knee joint. In a regular knee, the kneecap rests in a rather deep groove where it slides up and down in a usual, controlled way. So, when the groove is too shallow or out of shape, the patella pops out of the groove and shift to the sides, usually toward the inside of the patella. This may cause the leg lock up while the foot is held off the ground, causing your dog to cry out in pain and limp.
Luxated patella is known to occur in smaller breed of dogs, although it can affect medium and larger sized breeds. When it hits, this condition can cause lameness and pain for your dog. In slight cases, the patella slides out of the groove and then slides back without any lasting discomfort or lameness. Your dog will yelp in pain, hold his leg up for a few seconds, and then feel fine again when the knee moves back into place.
Then sometimes, the patella will actually pop out for longer periods or more often, causing injury to the knee capsule. The pain lasts longer and the dog usually appears bowlegged.
Luxated Patella – More Scoop on The Inherited Disorder
As mentioned before, luxated patella is an inherited disorder, meaning that the condition is present at birth. The presence of this problem, however, does not make your dog crippled. So, don’t worry; your dog can still live normal and happy, with the ability to do all of the activities he loves engage in, and for the rest of his life.
Don’t forget, without any treatment or if treated the wrong way can actually cause your dog’s knee to become subject to worse injuries, such as a torn ligament.
A slipped kneecap in an older is the leading cause to diseases of joints and bones. This can actually cause in arthritis in dogs. This is why we recommend that you take care of this problem immediately.
