Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog has a luxating patella. Is a knee brace a good idea for them?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has a luxating patella. Would a knee brace be a good idea?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Sabina Snyder, Specialty Surgery Technician

Veterinary Technician

Published on July 5th, 2015

Patellar luxation is an unusual sort of problem. Bracing won't help in this situation, as the problem is that the kneecap (the patella) slides back-and-forth across the surface of the knee joint and doesn't sit securely in the groove, as it should. Dogs can be mildly to severely affected by this problem. Those with a low grade (1 or 2) patellar luxation may exhibit intermittent lameness that usually resolves quickly, and may sustain some mild arthritis over time. Higher grade luxations (3 or 4) cause more long-term lameness, and with grade 4 luxations the dog may not be able to use the leg at all. Also, luxations of grade 3 and 4 tend to produce more substantial arthritis, and if your veterinarian has told you that your dog has a luxation of either 3 or 4, you should consider surgery to stabilize the joint and prevent further arthritis from occurring. The surgery is usually highly successfully in resolving the problem.

43Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 7th, 2017
Good question. No not necessarily. I diagnose grade 1 luxations all the time where 50% progress and the other 50% don't. The best recommendations is to get Tucker's knees checked 1-2 times a year so that you can monitor him well. Also rarely do I ever have a pet who is severely debilitated by this to the point where they need surgery. Giving daily joint supplements such as Dasuquin or Cosequin is recommended to decrease the chance of arthritic changes in the knees. I hope this helps!
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 15th, 2016
In small breed dogs, there is a common condition called a luxating patella. This is when the kneecap comes out of it's correct anatomical position, causing the limping, and once it slips back into place, the limping stops. That is likely what is causing Max's intermittent lameness. He should see a vet for it when his owners come back, but if he does keep on walking on three legs, he should see a vet sooner. That would mean the kneecap hasn't gone back into the correct position, and it will be painful for him. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. The vet can prescribe him a safe pain medication.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Pomeranian puppy limping: Is a patella brace good before surgery?

I am not aware of a brave that would keep the patella within the femoral groove and therefore help with a luxating patella. Dogs with luxating patellas are predisposed to injuring the cranial cruciate ligament and if this is the case for Milo then a brace might help provide some support to his knee joint until surgery is performed. Using splints and other forms of external coaptation can lead to growth plate and ligament damage in young growing animals so you should definitely check with your vet before purchasing a brace. Depending on how severe the lameness is and whether or not Milo has changes to the bones due to the disease, surgery might be best performed now to prevent further changes, or it might be recommended that you wait until he is close to a year of age and at his adult size.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Should I adopt a puppy with Grade 1 Patellar Luxation concerns?

The problems with a patellar luxation is that they tend to get worse over time, and while a grade 1 doesn't require surgery to fix, if the luxation becomes grade 3 or 4 over time, surgery is required to fix it. As long as you aware that this is a possibility and you may need to pay for a surgery in the future, you can still get the puppy. If you don't want to face the potential of paying for surgery in the future, then I would pass. There's no guarantee the puppy will need surgery, but there's no guarantee it will not. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's luxating patella: Does she need surgery on this leg?

If Stella is having difficulty walking/running, surgery may be indicated. Your vet will be able to grade the luxation by checking to see how far it moves out of the groove. She will then be able to determine whether or not surgery is necessary on this leg. Good luck! I hope Stella is feeling better soon.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My puppy has Grade 1 luxating patella. Is it serious for active kids?

Yes, she will likely grow out of this. A grade one is a very mild patella luxation. Grade 3 or 4 are severe and would benefit from surgical correction when they are adults. As she grows and develops more muscles and her tendons and ligaments get stronger the patella will most likely stay in the groove. This is a common orthopedic problem in many small breed dogs. Running and playing is fine but I recommend limiting the jumping up and down since that could make the condition worse. Also prevent her from becoming overweight as this puts more stress on all of the joints. Many dogs with mild patella luxation never need treatment or have any lameness. I personally am not overly concerned about it and would go ahead and get Chloe. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Is surgery safe and recommended for my senior dog's luxating patella?

Whether or not surgery is recommended for this condition depends on how much it is bothering the dog. Many dogs with luxating patellas have very little lameness and are not overly bothered by this problem - so in that case, surgery would not be recommended. If Penny is significantly lame and painful in her knee and your vet believes that it is due to her luxating patella, then surgery would certainly be a reasonable option as long as she is otherwise healthy. Many older dogs have surgery for various conditions with no problems, provided that there are no underlying health issues (heart disease, kidney disease, etc.) that would increase the risk of anesthesia. If your dog does have some chronic health issues, I would recommend discussing the pros and cons of surgery with your vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog has luxating patella and arthritis. Do I need a second opinion?

A second opinion won’t hurt or maybe a recheck with the first to clarify something things No surgery can undue arthritis but it can stabilize the patella and minimize further arthritis in the future. I would clarify if this is what he believes or if there is something else going on that is causing pain such as concurrent hip disease. It is unfortunate to spend that much money in a surgery and put your pet thru a surgery when they will still be in pain

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog is suddenly limping on a back leg. Is it a luxating patella?

It may be. She may have a soft tissue injury or some slight swelling at the knee which is causing the patella to luxate even though it has not been a problem in the past. Your veterinarian can most likely determine if that is the case by a physical exam. If her patella is loose and moving around, it is usually pretty easy to detect.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share