By Heidi Clayton
According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the condition known as the luxating patella is found in nearly seven percent of all puppies. Simply stated, a luxating patella is a dislocated kneecap. The degree of luxation will determine if your dog will need surgery.
A luxating patella can occur from a traumatic injury, but research shows that it is most likely genetic. It can be seen in puppies as early as eight weeks of age. Puppies born with the condition almost never gait correctly from a young age. They are often bowlegged. These dogs skip when they walk, or the affected leg may not touch the ground with every step. As skeletal growth occurs, the alignment issue becomes more obvious as the kneecap will slide out of place when the leg is flexed. The luxation will then strain the surrounding structures. The dog will often shift its weight to avoid the pain in its back legs, which can lead to issues in the elbow and shoulder. It is also most commonly seen in both knees, not just one.
There are four grades of luxating patella, ranging from grade one, the least serious, to four, the most serious. Grade one is when the patella randomly dislocates. Grade two is displacement only when the knee is flexed. The kneecap goes back into place after the leg returns to its normal position. Grades three and four are when the kneecap is permanently dislocated. In these grades, the tibia is affected to various degrees and will always require surgery. Dogs with the higher-grade condition are also more prone to ACL injuries. X-rays are the most common way to diagnose luxating patella, but many orthopedic surgeons also opt for a CT scan to accurately diagnose the problem.
Luxating patellas do not resolve on their own. The condition never improves without medical treatment. It will almost always result in painful arthritis developing around the knee and can lead to the same in other joints. The dog is not moving correctly, which results in additional stress on other joints. The prognosis after surgery is better for younger dogs to return to complete normal use of their knees as they have not yet developed arthritis in the joint.
There is no way to prevent luxating patellas, except not breeding dogs that have it. A reputable breeder will ensure that their breeding stock is free of any health concerns before breeding a litter of puppies. Most of the breeders I know use the organization OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, aka The Canine Health Information Center), where orthopedic surgeons certify that the dogs being bred are free of luxating patella before breeding. Breeds such as the Boston Terrier, Yorkie, Bichon, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, and the (popularly used to create doodle mixes) toy poodle are known to be predisposed to this condition. The AKC parent clubs of these breeds suggest that, prior to breeding, the parents be tested for luxating patella through OFA. OFA is also reporting an increase in the condition in Shiba Inus, Shar-peis, flat-coated retrievers, and Akitas.
While every breed or mix of dog looks different on the outside, theoretically they should all structurally be built the same. If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on a doodle, please make sure that its parents are free from luxating patellas via health testing. If you are going to get a purebred dog, I always suggest going to the American Kennel Club web page and finding a breeder that shows their dogs. Those breeders are in it to win, so to speak, and will always do the necessary health testing to breed sound dogs.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
