Luxating Patellas or LP in Yorkies

Patellar luxations (dislocation of the knee-cap) occur frequently in Yorkies and other dogs and rarely in cats. Patellar luxations can he grouped into two main categories. Congenital (existing from birth). And those often resulting from trauma and can affect any pet. Lameness occurs as the patella luxates and often resolves when it spontaneously reduces. Lameness is often intern-intermittent and animals will learn to reduce the patella themselves by extending the hip and the knee together behind them. Diagnosis is made on physical examination and may be confirmed with radiographs. Radiographs will demonstrate the patella luxation if the patella is dislocated -at the time the radiographs are taken. All animals with patellar luxation can develop some degree of arthritis.

The patella normally moves up and down in a groove in the lower femur bone called the trochlear groove. In patella luxation the groove is often shallow. This shallow groove prevents the patella from seating deeply and predisposes it to dislocation. This results in the luxation of the patella as the leg is used. The quadriceps or extensor muscles of the leg are associated with the patella. In patellar luxation, the extensor muscles are often maligned to the inside or outside of the leg, The degree of patella luxation is graded from I to IV depending on the relative ease with which the patella luxates.

Grade I is the mildest and grade IV the most severe.
Grade I and II patellar luxations may be completely asymptomatic and may be incidental findings in mature dogs who have never been lame. These grades should rarely require surgery.
Grade III and IV luxations are usually lame. A great deal of Grade lV's will require surgery.

Surgical Correction
The decision to perform surgery on animals with patellar luxations is based on many factors including the degree of lameness, the grade of patellar luxation, the age of the animal, and the presence of concurrent problems with the knee. In most situations the dog lives an entirely normal life. Just like most people whose knees are not the best either.

Patellar luxation may also be found in conjunction with other injuries to the knee which require surgery, most commonly, rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament. Often the surgeon will discuss correction of the patellar luxation at the same time the other injury is repaired.

Many toy dogs live their whole lives with luxating patellas and are never lame. A "luxating patella" also referred to as a "trick knee" which can move out of place if injured by jumping off furniture or walking in a hole in the ground, or something similiar. Toy dogs can be prone to this because of their small size. No matter how firm the knees seem as puppies, toy dogs are liable to injure their knees depending on the degree of luxation. The grooves in the knee where the knee fits is sometimes shallow and the knees can be very wobbly. The taller more fine-boned dogs seem to be more prone to this kind of injury.

If you are one that lets your dog jump off and on furniture, provide them a stool to get up and down from to prevent as much trama constantly happening to those knees.

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