What is patellar luxation?
The kneecap moves up and down in the thighbone’s groove when a healthy knee bends. When a healthy kneecap dislocates, it is referred to as a patellar luxation. A healthy kneecap never falls out of its groove. A dislocated kneecap inhibits the knee from bending, which results in lameness. It also rubs against the bone during sliding, which over time causes pain and arthritic rheumatism.
Symptoms of patellar luxation
When strolling, you can notice that your dog misses a beat. Your dog may experience aberrant knee joint locking, which would result in them walking on three legs. A serious slip from a regular position can hurt and perhaps make your dog cry. Your dog may get out of a laying position more cautiously and slowly. It’s possible that animals won’t walk for extended periods of time or move extremely actively.
What causes patellar luxation?
The most common cause of patellar luxation is hereditary. Smaller dog breeds with a propensity for “bow-legged” conformation, like Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Chihuahuas, and Boston Terriers, are more likely to experience it. But larger breeds are occasionally affected by this illness as well.
The strong quadriceps muscles of the thigh have the ability to force the kneecap out of its natural groove as a puppy grows because the bones and muscles of the rear limbs become somewhat misaligned. Because the groove is frequently abnormally developed, the kneecap can easily slip out of it because it is shallow.
Trauma is the cause of patellar luxation in other, less common situations.
Treatment for patellar luxation in dogs
Conservative treatment for dogs with patellar luxation-related arthritis or those with sporadic or infrequent lameness may involve the following measures:
Sustain a healthy weight: Obesity and excess weight can aggravate knee joints and raise the risk of patellar luxation.
Give Adequate Nutrients: Strong and healthy joints can be maintained in your dog with a balanced diet that provides the proper balance of vitamins and minerals.
Frequent physical activity: Patellar luxation can be avoided by maintaining muscle strength and flexibility through regular exercise.
Applying a Brace for Dog Patella Luxation: The Dog Patella Luxation Brace softly presses on your dog’s patella to maintain it in the proper place. Furthermore, it can lessen pain and inflammation and stabilize your dog’s joints.
Surgery is typically needed to straighten the patella and stabilize the joint in order to treat a patellar luxation. On the other hand, knee braces can occasionally be a good substitute for surgery, particularly in dogs that aren’t good candidates for anesthesia or have underlying medical issues.