Luxating Patellas

Luxating is a fancy word for dislocating. Patella is your dog's "knee", the joint on the front of her hind leg. So a luxating patella is a dislocating knee or trick knee, a knee that keeps slipping out of its socket. This can happen in Boston Terriers and certain toy breeds with weak ligaments, tendons, and/or muscles. It can also happen in pups whose kneecap groove is too narrow or shallow. The knee usually slips inwardly, toward the body, and locks so that your puppy can't bend her leg.

You might suspect a luxating patella if your Boston Terrier sometimes lifts one hind leg while running, or if she often moves both rear legs at the same time, like a hopping bunny. Sometimes the knee slips only for a few moments, then slides back into place. Sometimes the knee slips out and stays out, and your Boston will hold her leg off the ground and limp, perhaps tucking her thigh into her body.

Luxation may occur in one knee, or in both. It is seen in many small breeds, and in both sexes. No matter how firm the knees seem as puppies, you should have your Boston Terriers patellas checked every two years by your veterinarian.

Is luxation serious?
There are four degrees (grades) of luxation:
I. The knee only slips out when the vet manipulates it.

II. The knee luxates occasionally when the dog is walking or running. He/she may not seem to mind much, or they may shriek, but it usually slides back by itself as they continues moving. Or you can slip it back manually (ask the vet to show you how).

III. The knee luxates frequently and causes chronic lameness. Even when you put it back manually, it doesn't seem to last long.

IV. The knee luxates, stays that way, and you can't put it back into its socket. This grade is very rare but happens.

How is luxation treated?

•The first treatment should be to crate or keep the dog in a small area for a week or two and supervise all activity - no jumping or running.

• Most veterinarians will prescribe a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (like Rimadyl). These will hide the symptoms and may reduce the inflammation, but do absolutely nothing to strengthen or correct the knee.

•Steroidal anti-inflammatories. These have proven to be extremely damaging to the immune system, have awful side effects (short and long term), and in my opinion, should never be used.

•Surgery. Surgery is seldom the answer and if needed, should only be done by an orthopedic surgeon if the dog is in chronic pain.

Call the American College of Veterinary Surgeons at (301) 718-6504 and ask for a referral to an orthopedic specialist or college of veterinary medicine in your state.

If surgery is your choice, thet dog may very likely have problems down the road with arthritis from the surgery. In the opinion of most vets, surgery is overkill for Grade I or II luxating patella. I would only go with surgery on a Grade IV luxation, or on a Grade III that did not respond to natural treatment. Surgery costs about six hundred dollars per leg, it is uncomfortable for your Boston, and there is a 50% chance that some degree of luxation will return.

Natural ways to treat your Boston Terrier:

•Feed fresh foods. (home cooked or raw)

•Keep your dog lean. (Fat dogs have to carry more weight on their weak leg joint).

•Moderate exercise, walking up slight inclines (gentle hills), will strengthen the muscle groups around the patella.

•Vitamin C is one of the building blocks of strong ligaments and connective tissue.

•Glucosamine supplements or Glyco-Flex are nutritional products packed with minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and lubricating agents. They build cartilage and cushioning fluid in injured joints, and help heal damaged connective tissue.

What causes luxating patella?

Occasionally it's caused by an injury, but in the absence of such proof, the weak tendons and/or shallow kneecap groove of luxating patella is considered hereditary.
Never, Ever, breed a Boston Terrier (or any dog) with any degree of luxation (even a "wiggly" knee), whether it has been repaired or not. Fixing the knee doesn't fix the genes that caused the problem.

OFA Certification

The Orthopedic Foundation of America will issue registration numbers to dogs whose patellas have been x-rayed by a vet, forwarded to the OFA, and found to be normal. For More Information visit the Orthopedic Foundation of America

Sources
•Boston Terrier Club Of America
http://www.bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/health/Patella.html

•Chihuahua Kingdom Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW
http://3lbdogs.com/wellness/

•Shumsky, Terri (1993) How to buy your Toy Dog, and Raise it Expensively California Creations by Terri.