If Your Dog Gives This Quick Distress Signal - Do These 3 Things to Avoid Surgery

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January 11, 2011 | 819,319 views

By Dr. Becker

Today Dr. Karen Becker discusses the painful condition known as floating kneecaps, or luxating patellas. Learn what causes the condition and what you can do to prevent or treat the problem in your pet.

Floating kneecaps are more typically a problem of small and tiny dogs.

Often a dog with this problem appears fine. He has no history of a traumatic injury to the leg, and he's very active – running and playing normally.

Then out of the blue one day he comes up lame. He picks up a back leg. He might yelp or cry while holding the leg off the ground.

You think to yourself, 'Oh my gosh! What just happened?' It seems like there's been some sort of trauma to your pup, yet you've been watching him run around and he seemed fine.

Just as suddenly, your dog lowers his leg and starts walking or running around again as though nothing ever happened. What occurred, unbeknownst to you, was that his kneecap popped out of place, stopping him in his tracks and causing him to hold his leg up. Then the kneecap returned to its original position, he was able to put his foot back down, and off he went.

I've had pet owners in my practice tell me, 'My dog went suddenly lame, holding up a back foot, and then just as suddenly he was not lame.' That's a pretty typical description of what happens with the condition known as luxating patella.

Description of a Luxating Patella or 'Floating Kneecap'



Unfortunately, some dog breeds have a very flat patella ridge. This means the kneecap doesn't seat snugly in the groove and it can pop out either medially, to the inside, or laterally, to the outside. Typically in larger dogs, the kneecap pops laterally, while smaller dogs' kneecaps tend to pop to the inside.

Size and Breed Matters


Short-legged dogs, for example Basset Hounds and Doxies, aren't genetically prone to the condition. However, because their femurs are so short, it can change the angle of the seating of the kneecap, and these dogs can end up with luxating patellas as well.


However, larger dogs are prone to hip problems. If a joint above the kneecap like the hip joint, or one below the kneecap like the ankle develops a problem, it can change the ergonomics of the animal's body. If there's a problem with your dog's hip, it can cause a kind of ripple effect that forces the patella out of its groove.



Cats are smaller and lighter in body weight than most dogs. They are also more flexible and their bodies move differently. A 10 pound cat with a significant kneecap issue often won't show many or any clinical symptoms such as limping.

Severity of the Condition



Often in young dogs with strong, resilient joint cartilage, the patella can pop out and back in without obvious signs of pain. There may be an intense jolt of pain as the kneecap moves across the patella ridge, but it's gone in a flash and usually not obvious to an observer.



Diagnosis and Treatment


Taking a proactive approach to treating the condition -- no matter how mild, and especially in a young dog -- can often prevent future surgery, joint degeneration, and diminished quality of life.

The first thing you should do for a dog diagnosed with a floating kneecap is help him achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. It's just common sense that the heavier the dog, the more burden there will be on his knees.


Number two, it's very important to keep your pet moving. Maintaining excellent muscle tone will help your dog's body form a kind of cage around the knee which will keep the patella in place.

Years ago, veterinarians advised owners of dogs with floating kneecaps to prevent their pets from moving around. We now know that's a really bad idea. The more toned the muscles of your dog's legs are, the more stable the kneecap will be. Building muscle is an extremely important part of reducing the clinical symptoms of a luxating patella.





In addition to daily aerobic exercise to maintain your dog's physical conditioning, I recommend you feed a species-appropriate diet. All foods are categorized as either pro or anti-inflammatory. By feeding your dog an anti-inflammatory diet (one very low in carbohydrate content), you can help reduce or moderate the effects of inflammation in your pet's body, including the joints. Feeding a species-appropriate, carb-free diet can significantly reduce the inflammation associated with a luxating patella.

When to Seek Surgery for Your Pet


I'm not a proponent of surgery for a floating kneecap unless the condition is destroying your dog's quality of life. If your pup can't walk or run without intense pain, you should consider surgical correction.




My recommendation is to explore all possible non-surgical options to help stabilize your dog's knee before you consider surgical correction. Surgery for this condition carries the usual risks associated with anesthesia and infection, plus a few more because the correction is to a moving part of your pet's body that is also weight bearing. These risks include:

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