Luxating Patella

This condition occurs when your dog's knee cap (patella) dislocates (luxates) more easily than it should. A classic symptom of dogs with luxating patella is a distinctive skip on one of their back legs as they are moving around. This may happen more frequently on more difficult surfaces like wet or uneven ground or when they are transitioning from walk to trot. Very often you may have noticed your dog skipping for a long time before it became apparent that it is a problem. The severity of your patella luxation is graded from 1-4 with grade 4 being the most severe. Physiotherapy is very commonly recommended for at least 8 weeks before surgery is considered as strengthening of the surrounding muscle groups can hold the patella in the correct position and stop luxation occurring. If surgery is required a rehabilitation program is required afterwards to restore proper joint function and movement.