Luxating Patella in Large Dogs: Juno’s Floating Kneecap

No, I didn’t get the photo mixed up. Juno is a 96 pound Dogue De Bordeaux, and this is her story.

Luxating Patella in Large Dogs: Juno's Floating Kneecap

If a big girl like Juno starts limping on her hind leg, you’d think the prime suspects would be a torn cruciate ligament or hip dysplasia–issues that large breed dogs are most likely to get.

Luxating patella is something that plagues small breeds only, right? This condition affects primarily small dogs, especially breeds such as Boston and Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and Miniature Poodles. However, you’d probably be surprised to hear that the incidence in large breed dogs has been on the rise over the past ten years.

What is luxating patella anyway?

Luxating patella–also referred to as trick knee– is the dislocation of the kneecap. The kneecap is a small bone in front of the knee joint and helps facilitate the knee movement–straightening the knee. In a healthy knee, the patella sits securely in a groove that allows it to slide up and down but not sideways. When the groove is too shallow, the kneecap can slide out of its proper position–luxate. This messes up the function of the joint.

Luxating patella is graded based on whether the kneecap pops back into proper position on its own, can be pushed back into the groove, or stays dislocated, and how often this happens. The grade then determines treatment options.

Luxating Patella in Large Dogs: Juno's Floating Kneecap

Juno started having problems with her leg since she was a puppy.

Every once in a while, June would suddenly start limping. After a bit of massage, though, she would run and play as if nothing ever happened. Juno’s parents figured that Juno was either having some growing pains or a bit of cramping because she was a busy girl.

It only happened every few months and resolved without a trace. As Juno was growing, it happened even less frequently. Juno’s parents assumed that the problem, whatever it was, has resolved on its own. Until about a month ago.

Juno once again became lame and wouldn’t put any weight on her back leg.

This time, the lameness wasn’t going away.

Juno’s mom came from work to already limping Juno so there was no inkling to what could have happened. Worried that Juno got seriously hurt, her mom took her to an emergency hospital.

Did Juno tear her knee ligament?

When I see a large dog limping on their hind leg, that is the first thing that comes to my mind. It was the first thing that came to mind of the attending veterinarian too. They said that it was likely a partially torn CCL and that Juno would need surgery to fix that.

Juno probably didn’t like that proposition as she suddenly started walking as if nothing ever happened. Seeing that, Juno’s mom decided to forgo offered diagnostic tests and follow up with Juno’s regular vet instead. Armed with NSAIDs and medication to keep Juno calm, then went home.

Limping off and on

The next day it became apparent that whatever the problem was, it was not going away. Several times through the day Juno would become lame, then get better, and then become lame again. Is that what injured cruciate ligament would look like?

It only took Juno’s own veterinarian a couple of minutes to discover what the real problem was.

A luxating patella

Juno’s parents obtained a referral to an orthopedic specialist to evaluate whether surgery would be the best treatment for Juno. As fate would have it, the closer it got to the consultation, the better was Juno feeling. Does she really need surgery? This is always a big decision.

In the end, Juno did undergo a surgical procedure to keep her patella in place.

Luxating Patella in Large Dogs: Juno's Floating Kneecap

To read Juno’s full story, visit Bliss Quest blog, where Juno’s mom describes everything in detail. While you’re there, you can also find real-life tips for finding your bliss without losing your mind. I know I will check that out.

Related articles:
Canine Luxating Patella: Surgical Options

Further reading:
Lateral Patellar Luxation in Large Dogs. A Challenging Therapeutical Approach

Categories: Conditions • Joint issues • Knee issues • Luxating patella

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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