Investigations on the Prevalence of Patellar Luxation in Dogs

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of patellar luxation in dogs using the patient records of the Small Animal Clinic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Stara Zagora and Avicena Veterinary Clinic – Sofia. From the studied cohort, the Pinscher, Pomeranian, and Spitz breeds were the most frequently affected. The disease was the most rarely encountered in Bologneses. Female dogs were more commonly affected. In cases of unilateral patellar luxation, it was significantly more common in the left than in the right hindlimb. More than half of studied dogs (56 %) weighed between 2 and 5 kg, and 23 % were within the range 5–15 kg. In 91 % of dogs from studied breeds, medial patellar luxation was observed. The occurrence of the different patellar luxation grades was as followed: grade 1: 21 %, grade 2: 43 %; grade 3: 30 % and grade 4: 6 %.