Patellar luxation is displacement of the patella from the femoral trochlear groove. In cats it is mainly a medial, bilateral, developmental problem, and many cats have little or no lameness. Cats also have a wider, flatter patella relative to the groove than dogs, so mild patellar movement can be normal, and the NAVLE point is telling that apart from disease.
Key facts
Luxating patella at a glance- Species and system: cats; musculoskeletal (stifle).
- Cause: mostly developmental: shallow trochlear groove, hypoplastic medial femoral condyle, and limb malalignment. Trauma is a minority (7 of 42 cats; Loughin 2006).
- Direction and sides: medial in 95% of joints; bilateral in 34 of 42 cats (Loughin 2006).
- Classic presentation: intermittent hind limb lameness or skipping gait, often in a young adult cat.
- Treatment: conservative for low-grade or mild cases; surgery for persistent lameness or higher grades.
- Zoonotic or reportable: no.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 9 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.