If you’ve ever injured your knee, you understand how debilitating the pain can be. Unfortunately, many puppies know the feeling all too well because they are born with genetic problems. The good news is that although canine knee problems are common, there are plenty of ways to both prevent and treat them. First, let’s learn a little more about the issue.
When the structures that make up your pet’s knees (also known as “stifles”) are misaligned or misshapen, a problem called Patellar Luxation can be the result. Your puppy’s kneecaps are a very important component of a normally-functioning knee joint. They are meant to ride in a groove on the forward face of the femur, just like yours. The patella acts as a pulley, giving leverage to extend the leg as your puppy walks. This birth defect is one of the five most common genetic anatomical problems veterinarians see in young dogs. The three most-common structural bone and tendon abnormalities this leads to lead are:
#1 A trochlear groove that is too shallow is common. In order for the patella not to jump out of this tract, the groove must be deep enough to accommodate and cradle the patella as it slides up and down in the groove. Some dogs are born with an abnormally shallow trochlear groove, which is believed to be a genetic condition by most veterinarians.
#2 A weakened and stretched lateral patellar ligament is also possible. While only one knee may appear to be affected, in most cases, both knees of your puppy share this problem to some degree.
#3 Sometimes, the lower attachment of the kneecap ligament is too far to the inner side of the tibia. This is a frequent problem in dogs that are bred to have exceptionally short legs, like dachshunds. Luxating patellas are also quite common in pomeranians and cocker spaniels, plus toy and miniature poodles. When dogs develop luxating patellas before the tibia has reached maturity, it is also possible for this lower point of attachment to shift inward, throwing off the entire joint alignment and causing quite a bit of pain.
All three of these sound painful, and they are. Thankfully, they are nothing the best dog knee braces cannot help with. In order to fix the problem, you must first be aware of it. If you watch carefully, you will notice that your puppy begins to occasionally skip when he or she runs. There is no sign that there is any pain, just that your little one doesn’t let one rear leg touch the ground while running or walking. Then, after a few steps, the leg usually returns to normal and the puppy seems unconcerned.
However, you should be concerned and want to do something about it. A dog stifle brace price is often much lower than you fear, and can solve your puppy’s problem without expensive surgery and pain medication. Make today the day you speak to your veterinarian about this possibility.
