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The Patella is a bone which is encased in tendon on the front of the stifle. In humans it is commonly referred to as the “knee cap”. The patella sits in a groove at the front of the knee (stifle) joint and moves constantly up and down with movement, like the rope in a pulley. However, the patella can “derail” (luxate), usually medially. Medial patellar luxation is seen most commonly in small breed dogs as a congenital or developmental problem, and can frequently be diagnosed by 6 months of age. In mild grade luxations, the patella may only occasionally displace and subsequently go back into place. The condition can progresses if left untreated, and may deteriorate into a state where the patella becomes chronically out of place and the joint becomes dysfunctional and undergoes changes.
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