Patellar luxation is one of the most common orthopaedic conditions in small dogs. Understanding its welfare impact guides appropriate management from monitoring to surgical correction.
Patellar luxation welfare impact depends heavily on grade. Mild, intermittent Grade I-II luxation causes brief lameness episodes that resolve spontaneously and may not require intervention. Grade III-IV luxation causes chronic instability, pain, and progressive osteoarthritis if untreated. The dog that intermittently carries a hindlimb or shows a characteristic skipping gait deserves veterinary assessment rather than owner normalisation of the signs. Surgical correction of higher-grade luxation is highly effective and dramatically improves welfare — dogs that were reluctant to exercise and showed pain during knee manipulation resume normal activity post-recovery. Breeding from affected dogs propagates the condition; responsible breeding practices reduce the prevalence in predisposed breeds.