Patellar Tendonitis, also known as jumper’s knee is a common mobility and joint disorder where the patellar tendon, a band of tissue that connects the bottom of their knee cap to the top of the tibia (shin bone), becomes inflamed. It can be caused by genetics and also regular sports activities.
The inflammation causes your dog to feel pain as they run, jump, and play. Because these behaviors are literally bred into sports dogs, they’re natural desire to do athletics make them more prone to patellar tendonitis. Oddly enough this disorder is most common in small breed dogs like toy poodles, chihuahuas, and pomeranians.
Jumper’s knee is very common and roughly 50% of dogs are diagnosed with this mobility disorder. It is very similar to when we have issues with our ACL and it becomes inflamed. So don’t panic if your veterinarian says your dog is suffering, it is a known condition and one with plenty of treatments.
Symptoms of patellar tendonitis for canines include:
- Stiffness in their knee joints and legs (sometimes referred to as a GAIT where they rise slower in the morning or don’t extend in full).
- Lameness which means they refuse to use their legs or a specific limb because they’re feeling pain or expect pain to happen.
- Refusing to do certain obstacles if they’re sports and agility dogs because they experience pain as they complete a specific challenge on a course.
- Swollen knees can be a sign as this is where the inflammation occurs.
- Keeping their knees bent vs. having full extensions as they do not want to make their discomfort worse.
If your dog is showing these symptoms, your veterinarian can test and diagnose with non-invasive techniques like an ultrasound or radiograph. It’s a quick and painless way to find out if they have jumper’s knee or something more serious, then treatment can begin.
Treatments for Patellar Tendonitis in Dogs
Depending on your dog’s condition, age, health history, and your comfort level, your veterinarian will have plenty of options to treat your dog. In severe cases they may need surgery while other times it is as simple as wearing a brace or even some good old R&R.
Here’s a few of the common ways patellar tendonitis can be treated, but only your veterinarian will know which is right for your dog as they know his or her health history.
Rest and Relaxation or Low Stress Exercises
Sometimes strengthening exercises like swimming which uses the muscles around the tendon and joint can strengthen the section of their leg and reduce the strain helping to give them relief. Just like we would go to physical therapy, there are centers for canines that have very similar treatments we would go through.
Other times taking a break from running, playing, and intense physical activity will help to reduce their inflammation. Once the inflammation is reduced, your dog will likely show less symptoms like lameness and be better at GAIT tests. This is when they may be ready to resume more active playtimes.
Anti-inflammatory Medicine
Non-steroid based anti-inflammatory drugs also known as NSAIDs are commonly prescribed to complement natural remedies and help resolve the symptoms more quickly. They’re very common and used for other mobility and joint disorders like arthritis, and even growing pains. Yes, dogs get growing pains too.
Common ones include firocoxib, meloxicam, and carprofen. The FDA has a great resource you can find here about NSAIDs and pets to learn more if your veterinarian prescribes one.
CBD for Joint and Mobility
Not all veterinarians will want to start with prescriptions when natural methods like physical therapy can work. They may recommend CBD for joint and mobility disorders along with strengthening exercises and R&R. CBD for joint pain including patellar tendonitis will give them dosages of natural anti-inflammatories like arnica to help soothe their aches, and B-complex vitamins as a non-antioxidant while they get stronger and recover.
TTA Surgery
A more severe or advanced case may call for surgery called tibial tubercle osteotomy that realigns the patella in the knee cap to reduce the pain and discomfort. This is also known as TTA surgery for short if you hear your veterinarian using acronyms.
It is not normally done for regular jumper’s knee and normally reserved for a torn CCL (like a human tearing our ACL), so chances are your dog won’t have to go through this.
The procedure repairs the alignment of the joint and connective tissues so they can run and play like normal. Most dogs begin to walk within 24 hours, and after 4 to 6 months they’ll be able to walk and play like normal. TTA surgeries have roughly a 90% success rate, so if they’re suffering a lot, and other treatments don’t help, this could be the solution.
If your dog is suffering from jumper’s knee or patellar tendonitis, don’t panic. It’s a very common disorder and there are plenty of ways to help them get relief naturally and through medicine. With proper care and by following your veterinarian’s instructions, your dog should be back to playing, competing, and enjoying their lives in no time at all.
