LupoMove®
youth
In this period of growth, the main focus is on the knees. At the age of 9 to 11 months of life, depending on breed and size of the dog, the growth plates of the knee joints basically close. Primary and secondary knee injuries can be caused by blunt trauma, accidents and body checks. In my orthopaedic vet’s practice, I see many dogs with partial cruciate ligament rupture, exactly at this age. If one believes certain publications, a main cause of the partial cruciate ligament rupture is the degeneration, in other words wear and tear. I am sure you will agree with me, even without being a veterinarian, that in a 10- or 11-month old dog with a partial cruciate ligament rupture, it is not degeneration that is the main cause, but rather an incorrect load, or overload situation or an accident. Due to mal-positioning of the knee, (either bow-legged, or ‘knock-kneed’), the changed pressure-tension axis can cause an excessive strain on the cruciate ligament in the inner or outer area, leading to a partial cruciate ligament rupture. This must be detected and corrected. The condition may often be revealed through a change in the stance phase of the affected knee, or more often in the stance phase of the contralateral knee.