A luxating patella (sometimes called a floating kneecap) is a common orthopaedic condition in dogs. Although it can occur as a result of a traumatic injury, it's mostly commonly an inherited condition, and mostly seen in small and toy breeds. It occurs when the patella (kneecap) becomes dislocated from its normal position within the groove of the femur (thigh bone).
There is a grading system for patellar luxation, where it is graded 1-4 depending on severity.
Grade 1: The knee cap can be manipulated out of position manually but doesn’t occur spontaneously and causes no clinical symptoms — usually an incidental finding.
Grade 2: The knee cap spontaneously luxates out of position, is typically associated with a skipping lameness when the knee cap moves
Grade 3: The knee cap is out of position most of the time, can be manipulated back into place but will luxate again quickly
Grade 4: The knee cap is permanently out of position and cannot be manipulated into the trochlear groove at all
Read more about Luxating Patella Causes, Prevention and How to Help https://zoomadog.co.uk/collections/patella-luxation-in-your-dog
Patella Luxation is when your dogs kneecap no longer slides up and down smoothly in your dogs thigh. When your dog has luxating patella, they are likely to limp occasionally
We can help find the right solution for your dog
Feel free to give us a call on 01730 622544
or email us at woof@zoomadog.co.uk
