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Move to new side of building

We are excited to announce that Phase 1 of construction will be completed in early March. We will start seeing patients on that side of the clinic the week of March 4th. Monday, March 4th will be a moving day. If you have a scheduled appointment on March 4th you will enter the clinic through our normal front doors. We will have reduced appointments on that day. We will be exclusively in Phase 1 from March through June while the remainder of the clinic undergoes a full renovation.

Here are some changes that will occur from March to June:

• We will be implementing curbside for all appointments and medication or food pick-up. Please call from the parking lot to check in and we will call when a room is ready for you to enter.

• You will enter through a new front entrance into a small makeshift reception area and a staff member will meet you to usher you into an exam room

• Our surgical appointments will be limited for those 3 months. We will still be able to do surgery but have a limited number of cages and recovery areas. Surgical drop-off and pick-up will also be curbside.

• If you purchase food from the clinic, please plan as we will be carrying a reduced volume of food due to lack of storage. You can also visit our online pharmacy and order your food from our online store https://springhillvet.vetsfirstchoice.com/.

Medial Patella Luxation

Home » Interactive Animal » Canine » Musculoskeletal » Knee » Medial Patella Luxation

Medial patella luxation is a congenital (born with) defect affecting the knee joint of, most commonly, small breed dogs. The knee cap (patella) normally glides within a groove in the femur (large bone above the knee). When this groove is not deep enough, the patella slides in and out of the groove and causes instability of the knee. Medial refers to the direction the knee cap slides out of the groove, i.e.: toward the middle; Patella is the knee cap; and Luxation is the medical term describing a bone coming out of the joint space. The joint instability caused by the luxation leads to other soft tissue injuries in the knee (e.g.: cruciate ligament and meniscal tears). MPL is diagnosed on physical examination. Your veterinarian will take x-rays of your dog’s knee to evaluate the joint more closely. Treatment for MPL varies depending on the degree of affliction. Mildly affected dogs can be treated conservatively with weight management and nutritional supplements to promote joint health. More severely affected patients greatly benefit from surgery to correct the anatomical defect. Surgical correction deepens the groove in the femur, where the patella rests, to prevent luxation and restore joint stability.