Chihuahua may have dislocating kneecaps
Q: My Chihuahua is 13 years old. Last week he ran and started limping on his rear leg. We took him to the veterinarian and she said that his knee is popping in and out. She said he is actually too old for surgery. Is there something we can do?
Dr. Nichol: Luxating patellas (dislocating kneecaps) are common in the small breeds. Depending on severity they can cause a dog to carry a rear leg, often for only a few steps, before resuming normal use. A problem that results from abnormally shaped bones, it may be years before a dog’s first lame step. That kneecap slips out of its groove near the end of the thigh bone but then snaps back where it belongs. Your little guy has been one step away from this since he was a kid.
Dogs’ joints are prone to degenerative, inflammatory changes as their bodies’ age. The late onset of your Chihuahua’s limping suggests that he may also have advancing arthritis in addition to his wayward kneecaps. If he’s been overweight the excessive load on his legs would exacerbate his symptoms.
A chunky monkey with luxating patellas may do much better if his person simply reduces the amount of food that’s measured into his bowl. If your dog continues to carry that leg even at a normal weight I would encourage you to have his knees evaluated for possible surgical correction.
For the latest and best information I checked with my colleague Dr. Peter Schwarz, a board-certified specialist in veterinary surgery. He explained that if there is no conservative way of helping your dog feel better (weight reduction), surgical treatment would very likely help him a great deal. His age, at 13 years, would not be an impediment to a healthy recovery.
In my previous life as a general practitioner (I am a veterinary behavior specialist now) I did lots of these procedures. I can tell you from my experience that if it’s the best course of action for your boy I would not hesitate. These dogs almost always do much better. Life is too short for bad knees.