Content
- Types of dislocation and symptoms
- Degrees of patellar dislocation:
- Diagnosis of patellar dislocation
- Treatment of patellar dislocation
Patellar dislocation in dogs can occur for several reasons, it can be congenital or caused by trauma.
Small breeds in the adult stage are more likely to suffer from this injury. Among the large and giant breeds it usually occurs in their puppy stage. Remember that puppies with congenital dislocation should not breed as they can transmit this health problem to their puppies.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain everything about patellar dislocation in dogs, yours symptoms, treatment and diagnosis.
Types of dislocation and symptoms
The kneecap is a little bone that exists in the anterior part of the knee. when this bone moves from your site due to genetic or traumatic causes, the dog suffers from pain and problems in moving, which even in severe cases can render the affected extremity useless. In cases of traumatic kneecap dislocation, it is usually associated with tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee.
There are two types of patellar dislocation, the medial patellar dislocation and the lateral patellar dislocation. Medial dislocation is the most frequent, occurring in 80% of cases. The lateral becomes bilateral frequently. Females, small dogs and toys are the most likely to suffer from it. Once the dislocation is detected, it can be classified into 4 degrees.
Degrees of patellar dislocation:
- Grade I - The characteristics of first degree dislocation are as follows: interruption in dislocation, leaving the dog to limp when the kneecap leaves its place. Dogs that suffer from this every three or four steps flex to stop or take a small jump.
- Grade II - Second degree dislocation is characterized by being a much more frequent dislocation than the previous one. The kneecap moves frequently. Many dogs suffer from this disease for years before drifting into progressive arthritis. Symptoms are a slight external rotation of the paw when walking, in which the dog limps and can lead to severe incapacitation of the dog.
- Grade III - Third degree dislocation is characterized by: the kneecap is permanently dislocated without periods of improvement. Causes considerable external rotation of the affected paw. The dog limps moderately.
- Grade IV - Fourth degree dislocation is characterized by the following symptoms: the kneecap remains chronically dislocated. When a dog limps, it causes considerable rotation of the paw, which is very painful and prevents the dog from making certain efforts, such as climbing stairs, getting into the car or climbing onto the couch. When the dislocation is bilateral, the dog rests on its hind legs when walking. In more serious cases it can be confused with hip problems.
Diagnosis of patellar dislocation
For a proper diagnosis, consult the veterinarian who will perform a physical manipulation and then a radiography. Do not forget that, to indicate a treatment, the professional must follow these steps. Otherwise, the treatment will not have sufficient guarantees to be carried out and for the dog to have the chances of recovery that it should.
At the same time, and as a consequence of the diagnosis of patellar dislocation in dogs, it should be taken into account if there is damage that would have caused this congenital or traumatic problem, for example in the ligaments.
Treatment of patellar dislocation
Treatments for patellar dislocation in dogs can be of the surgical or orthopedic. There are multiple forms of surgical treatment and traumatologists veterinarians choose the ideal surgery for each case.
In cases where surgery is unsuccessful, or not indicated, orthopedics offer adequate prostheses to keep the kneecap in place. These prostheses are made to measure for the dog.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.