What are the symptoms of patella luxation?
Pet’s experiencing patella luxation will often have a sudden onset of lameness in the affected hind leg. Frequently, they will hold the leg up for a few steps and then suddenly appear to walk more normally due to the fact that the patella may have slipped back into its normal position. For pets that are born with the defect, or have had it for some time, the knee may not be able to fully extend and it may appear that the pet is always bending the leg. How do we diagnose patella luxation? The diagnosis of patella luxation is based on the history given by the owner, observation of the pet’s gait, palpation (physical manipulation of the joint) and radiographs (x-rays) of the affected leg. On palpation, the patella can be pushed out of its normal position with varying degrees of ease. Radiographs will show the patella out of its normal position and may show evidence of arthritis. Four grades of luxation are recognized: Grade I: The patella luxates with manual pressure and returns spontaneo
