Canine patellar luxation.

Medial patella luxation is a common orthopedic problem of toy and miniature breed dogs with a complex and poorly understood pathogenesis. Joint pathology increases with age and luxation grade, and surgical correction should be performed at the earliest opportunity to limit further development of skeletal abnormalities or degenerative joint disease. Combination of trochlear wedge recession or tibial crest transposition with joint imbrication-capsulectomy are sufficient to correct patella luxation in most dogs. Surgical correction of patella luxation grades 1, 2, or 3 results generally in a successful clinical outcome, whereas surgical correction of grade 4 patella luxations carries a guarded prognosis in the young dog.