Maisie is a 1 year old Cocker Spaniel Dog with a luxating patella.
The patella (knee cap) sits in a groove at the end of the femur. A luxating patella means the kneecap slips in and out of place (dislocates). Owners may notice the dog is lame in that leg or they may notice a skip in the dogs gait when the dog holds up the leg for a few seconds then goes back to normal. Sometimes there is a popping sound when the patella dislocates.
Patella luxation is mainly found is small breed dogs such as Maltese, Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terriers but it can sometimes be seen in larger breeds.
It is most commonly seen in young dogs and is primarily of genetic cause. The patella sits in the patellar ligament and if this ligament is not connected to the centre of the tibia (shinbone), the patella gets pulled out of place. This is most common in dogs that are bow legged.
Patella laxations are graded from 1- 4. Grade 1 patella luxations don’t usually need surgically repaired but grades 2-4 should be.
Surgical repair involves 3 stages:
1) The groove in the femur is deepened to help the patella stay in place
2) The point of attachment of the patella ligament in the tibia is moved into the correct position. This is stabilised using pins and a wire as can be seen in the x ray.
3) The capsule around the joint is tightened
If your pets are in an emergency or if you have general inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Veterinary Emergency Centre.
General Hotline: 2334-2334
24-Hour Emergency Hotline: 6828-6620
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