Luxating Patella Surgery in Dogs | Macquarie Veterinary Hospital

Luxating Patella Repairs

We use the latest techniques to repair luxating patellas and get your pet back on their feet!

Luxating patellas, also known as slipping kneecaps, are a common issue that affects small dogs, though larger breeds can occasionally be impacted too. In smaller dogs, this condition can develop at a young age and gradually worsen over time, eventually requiring surgery. For bigger dogs, it’s often linked to a trauma, like trauma from a road accident or a serious fall.

The main sign of a luxating patella is a hopping or skipping movement in the affected back leg. While it might look a bit odd, it typically doesn’t cause immediate pain and can come and go.

However, if left untreated, this condition can lead to painful arthritis and other knee injuries, like ligament damage. That’s why early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to help your dog have the best possible outcome for long-term health.

Dr. Matt Buchanan-Pascall and Dr Michael Stephen are skilled surgeons with additional training in orthopedic surgery and regularly performs this procedure with great success. Give us a call to chat to them or book an appointment today—your dog’s recovery is in great hands!

Luxating Patella Surgery

$4000

We guarantee surgery within 7 days
Price includes: Patella surgery and post op radiographs on the day of surgery
PLUS the first 4 post-operative checks at which time we give a course of zydax injections to promote long term joint health
Please note: any complications experienced will incur additional costs that would be discussed with you at the time.

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Luxating Patella Surgery Explained

We can diagnose most cases of luxating patellas by simple examination during a consultation. We grade them for you and advise which can be handled without surgery and which will benefit from surgical intervention. On occasion, we will will recommend getting x-rays under general anaesthetic to look more closely at the knee and hips prior to surgery to ensure we have all information on hand and guide exact treatment.

Is my dog's breed at risk of patella luxation?

We know that different breeds have different risk profiles for patella injuries. This is mainly based on their anatomy and the angle of the average angle of the joint in each particular breed. While this injury is possible in any breed, some of the common breeds include:

Small breeds: Cavoodles, Poodles, French Bulldogs
Medium breeds: Cocker Spaniels, Kelpies, Border Collies, Blue Heelers
Large breeds: German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Huskies, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Malamutes, Standard Poodles

What causes luxating patellas in dogs?

A luxating patella is often the result of genetic predisposition, with some breeds and breeding lines being more susceptible than others. Other common causes include poor conformation, injury through repetitive strain or traumatic injury. Getting the best possible surgical outcome and monitoring weight closely will give us the best chance for a great outcome long term.

What does patella surgery involve?

At Macquarie Veterinary Hospital, our surgeons usually use a combination of three techniques to help re-align the patella (kneecap) and keep it in place long term:

Deepen the trochlear groove – this is a technique where we deepen the groove in the thigh bone that the kneecap actually sits in. That way the patella is much more likely to stay in place during movement;
Translocate the tibial crest – the patella attaches to the shin bone via a tendon called the patella tendon. We make a cut into the shin bone (tibial crest) and move it across into better alignment before we then pin it to hold it in its new, better anatomical position.
Tighten the fascia – this means that we help pull together all of the loosened muscle on the outside of the knee that has become too soft over time. This is the last key to helping the muscles get used to the new position of the kneecap.

What are the risks and complications of patella surgery?

Every surgical procedure has potential complications and worldwide studies show that there is up to 10% complication rates in patella surgery. The complications range from minor infections at the surgical incision, to loosening of the pins, infection of the pins or fractures of the shin bone from the implants. Although some complications require further intervention, we always work with you to get the best outcome possible for your pet.

What's involved in recovery from patella surgery in dogs?

Rest and exercise moderation is a key factor for dogs and cats recovering from patella surgery. We will guide you throughout the recovery period.

The first 10-14 days include strict cage rest, where the only time your pet comes out of the pen is to go to the toilet (always on lead so they can’t make sudden running movements). We also ask you to ice the surgical site for the first few days post-operatively and then once the swelling has reduce we ask you to start with passive range of motion exercises, which we will demonstrate for you.

From the 2-6 week period your pet will still need to be strictly cage-rested, however we now get you taking them on increasingly longer on-lead walks. These will increase by 5-10 minutes each week, so that a couple of months after surgery they should be tolerating 30 minute walks well.

At 8 weeks you can usually re-introduce your dog back to running and jumping and to enjoying a full and fun life!

What can I do long term to help my dog after surgery?

Once your dog has recovered from patella surgery, we recommend a combination of the following things to help get the best long term outcome:

Keep your dog lean – extra weight on your dog not only increases the load on the joints and puts more strain on them, but we also know that fat cells are ‘pro-inflammatory’, meaning they keep the body and joints in a constant state of inflammation. The ideal weight is described as the “ribs (easily) palpable with minimal fat covering. Waist clearly visible when viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident – particularly when viewed from the side.”
Yearly Pentosan injections – the injections are given under the skin each week for 4 treatments. The injections contain a synthetic medication which draws more water into the joints, effectively thickening the joint fluid to provide a cushioning effect. By reducing the rubbing between the cartilage surfaces, the cycle of inflammation is interrupted which can help with ongoing health and delay the eventual onset of arthritis.
Supplements – Supplements and neutraceutical use in dogs is an area of debate between veterinarians. There is still limited evidence for the use of various supplements, however, we believe that they may indeed play some role in helping our pets. The most heavily studied supplement recently is green-lipped muscle and it comes in two forms, either a lower concentration in a product called 4Cyte or in a stronger concentration in a product called antinol.