Re: [pyrnet] Cruciate Ligament Disease

["UrsHock" <urshock@zeelandnet.nl>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Weisser" <lmweisser@home.com>
To: <pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org>
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 1:04 PM
Subject: Re: [pyrnet] Cruciate Ligament Disease


|
| Well, I don't know that either but the one time that I encountered PL in
| dogs that I bred was 3 in one litter (does that scream genetic?) all of
| which occured in dogs from 11-13 months.  One case was bi-lateral, the
other
| two unilateral.  All of the luxations were lateral.  None of the dogs had
| accompanying boney damage or cruciate problems.
|
| OTOH, when we see the more "classic" PL it is nearly always manefest in
| puppies by 3-4 months, seems to have more or less rapid onset of clinical
| signs,and is medial.
|
| Linda

That's interesting, what we see over here, is the PL in puppies at 3 - 5
months, uni- or bi-lateral and more in females than in males.
Orthopedic diagnoses reveals as reasons:
torsion of the femur, (bone above the knee), the tibia (bone below the
knee)or that the place of the attachment of the patella tendon (the "string"
which  attaches the kneecap)is not attached correctly in the middle of the
tibia. Also the grove where the patella normally is embedded seems to be too
shallow.
Most cases which undergo surgery very quick after the diagnosis don't have
problems later and walk normal.
What  also is seen, is that the patella tends to slip, caused by too loose
tendons and they outgrow this without any signs of PL later on and without
treatment.
A very interesting site about PL is:
http://home.swipnet.se/~w-33901/patella.html#What

Urs & Pyrs & Easy (GSD)
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Ursa's Signum - Great Pyrenees
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