Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Patella position in small dogs with straight knee joints
By Murakami, Sawako et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2023·Department of Veterinary Surgery, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Examination of Proximodistal Patellar Position in Dogs with the Stifle at Full Extension.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A small dog with a knee problem was examined using X-rays to check the position of its kneecap (patella) when the leg was fully extended. The study found that some dogs with medial patellar luxation (MPL), a condition where the kneecap slips out of place, had a higher-than-normal kneecap position. Factors like the angle of the knee joint and the length of the patellar ligament were linked to this issue. Understanding these factors can help veterinarians identify and treat knee problems in small dogs more effectively.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE:  The aim of this study was to determine the factors related to functional patella alta, with which the proximodistal patellar position exceeds the reference range of healthy small dogs proximally when the stifle is at full extension. STUDY DESIGN:  Mediolateral-view radiographs of dogs weighing less than 15 kg were obtained and classified into the medial patellar luxation (MPL) and control groups. The reference range of the proximodistal patellar position was determined from the control group. In both groups, a patellar position exceeding this reference range proximally was considered functional patella alta. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the factors related to functional patella alta. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was made for each factor. RESULTS:  Overall, radiographs of 127 stifles of 75 dogs were obtained. Eleven stifles in the MPL group and one stifle in the control group were determined to be functional patella alta. The factors associated with functional patella alta included a greater full extension angle of the stifle joint, longer patellar ligament, and shorter femoral trochlear length. The full extension angle of the stifle joint had the biggest area under the ROC curve. CONCLUSION:  Mediolateral radiographs of the stifle joint in full extension are clinically important in dogs with MPL because some dogs might have a proximally positioned patella that is recognizable only when the stifles are extended.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36940719/