Book a vet visit soon
Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.
A kneecap (stifle) that slips out of place, causing hind-limb lameness in young alpacas.
- Category
- Feet, legs & teeth
- Urgency
- Book a vet visit soon
Signs & symptoms
- Hind-limb lameness or skipping gait
- Crouched stance
- Difficulty rising
Related symptom guides: Limping (Lameness).
What causes it?
Congenital shallow groove or trauma.
Risk factors
- Possibly inherited
How vets diagnose it
Palpation and radiographs.
Treatment
Surgery for severe cases.
Prevention
- Avoid breeding affected animals
Background
A luxating patella, sometimes called a trick knee, is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location. It can be associated with damage to the anterior cruciate ligament.From Wikipedia — “Luxating patella”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Research & references
PubMed lists 8 peer-reviewed papers on this topic in camelids. The most relevant include:
- Orthopedic conditions of small ruminants. Llama, sheep, goat, and deer. Kaneps AJ The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice, 1996. PubMed 8705803 · DOI · cited 25×
- Management of bilateral patellar luxation in an alpaca. Abuja GA, Kowaleski MP, García-López JM Veterinary surgery : VS, 2014. PubMed 24417727 · DOI · cited 5×
- Surgical repair of patellar luxation in llamas: 7 cases (1980-1996). Van Hoogmoed L, Snyder JR, Vasseur P Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1998. PubMed 9530429 · cited 7×
- Spontaneous resolution of bilateral congenital patellar luxation in an alpaca cria. John EE, Viel L The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 2018. PubMed 29904205 · cited 1×
- Trochlear block recession in an alpaca with traumatic lateral patellar luxation. Furman SM, Fortier LA, Schnabel LV et al. Veterinary surgery : VS, 2009. PubMed 19573109 · DOI · cited 6×
- Treatment of temporary upward fixation of the patella in an alpaca by abrasion trochleoplasty and imbrication of the medial retinacular fascia. Zanolari P, Tschudi M, Rytz U et al. The Veterinary record, 2002. PubMed 12092623 · DOI · cited 4×
Frequently asked questions
What is patellar Luxation in alpacas?
A kneecap (stifle) that slips out of place, causing hind-limb lameness in young alpacas.
What are the signs of patellar Luxation?
Hind-limb lameness or skipping gait, crouched stance and difficulty rising.
How do you prevent patellar Luxation?
Avoid breeding affected animals.
Is patellar Luxation an emergency?
Book a vet visit soon. Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.