# Knobby knees?



## Aimiloo (Apr 23, 2018)

This may be silly but my husband and I always look at our Pixie and comment on her knees and how they look to us like they swing out a bit. (Especially when she’s standing on those long thin legs) Does she look normal? This is how she stands and sits a lot and I worry if it’s OK. We joke about our “bulldog” stance poodle from a good breeder.

Sorry if this is dumb but it’s been on our minds for a while!


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

It appears her right leg, particularly, is deviating outwards. What does the vet say? You should have her checked, in case she has patella problems that might deteriorate with time.

Every time Beckie sees the vet, I have her patellas checked because her toes are pointing a little outward. I’ve always been told it’s nothing to worry about, just aesthetics, and hopefully it will be the same with your dog.


----------



## Aimiloo (Apr 23, 2018)

Dechi said:


> It appears her right leg, particularly, is deviating outwards. What does the vet say? You should have her checked, in case she has patella problems that might deteriorate with time.
> 
> Every time Beckie sees the vet, I have her patellas checked because her toes are pointing a little outward. I’ve always been told it’s nothing to worry about, just aesthetics, and hopefully it will be the same with your dog.


Thank you Delchi her right leg is the one that really concerns me. We haven’t raised with her vet as it wasn’t concerning us until recently but net time we go we will ask. She has some bumps on her tummy right now I want to get looked at as they get scabby :/


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

That's her elbow sticking out, not her patella. Does she always stand like that? Can you stack her? lift her up from between the front legs with your hands between them...at her chest. With the other hand put it between her hind legs up high and lift her bum right up off the ground or table. Then set her down without manipulating her legs themselves...just let them drop down where they will and see how she looks. Or...just watch her move. How does she track? If she's young, it will very possibly straighten out. Just bearing weight, exercise, growth may well self correct. But yeah...ask your vet.


----------



## Aimiloo (Apr 23, 2018)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> That's her elbow sticking out, not her patella. Does she always stand like that? Can you stack her? lift her up from between the front legs with your hands between them...at her chest. With the other hand put it between her hind legs up high and lift her bum right up off the ground or table. Then set her down without manipulating her legs themselves...just let them drop down where they will and see how she looks. Or...just watch her move. How does she track? If she's young, it will very possibly straighten out. Just bearing weight, exercise, growth may well self correct. But yeah...ask your vet.


She’s a year and a half and we have sucked with keeping up her training :x so I’m not sure if she will let me stack her but I will try! She will stand normally and then will kind of throw that allow out a little sometimes. It’s not always but certainly many times a day. I’ll def ask the vet but thanks for sharing!


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

She may be just put together imperfectly. I know my Maurice is a little "out" with his elbows. But there's absolutely no problem with him and his movement, no discomfort or anything else. I sometimes wonder if, when they're in the uterus they get squished or are in a bad position and their cartilage just develops screwily. (a new adverb) :act-up:


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> That's her elbow sticking out, not her patella. Does she always stand like that? Can you stack her? lift her up from between the front legs with your hands between them...at her chest. With the other hand put it between her hind legs up high and lift her bum right up off the ground or table. Then set her down without manipulating her legs themselves...just let them drop down where they will and see how she looks. Or...just watch her move. How does she track? If she's young, it will very possibly straighten out. Just bearing weight, exercise, growth may well self correct. But yeah...ask your vet.


Agreed, but I wonder if the patella might be affected also.


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I've had a couple of dogs with luxating patellas. Believe me, if there's a problem, it'll show up. The dog will sometimes do a sort of skipping gait. If it's bad, the knee will pop out of it's socket and they will stretch their leg behind them to try and re-set it. There might be a little limp or soreness. Jose`one of my Chihuahuas had it so badly in one knee he'd cry sometimes...had surgery and never another problem. Chulita, my other Chi had loose knees but never any trouble whatsoever. If the dog shows no pain or disruption with the gait, I wouldn't worry. If you want to as the vet, that might ease your mind and make sure there's nothing wrong going on. At the same time, the knees can be felt too. Usually, you can gently try and pop them out...not hard. And if they're loose, you'll feel it. If it's super mild, which is often the case, there's usually not a problem. Maurice's knees are very mildly loose but they never pop out or cause him a lick of trouble. Matisse has had surgery for one lousy knee that just developed over time after an injury to a medial ligament. 

Does Pixie indicate any discomfort of pain? How is her gait?


----------



## Aimiloo (Apr 23, 2018)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> I've had a couple of dogs with luxating patellas. Believe me, if there's a problem, it'll show up. The dog will sometimes do a sort of skipping gait. If it's bad, the knee will pop out of it's socket and they will stretch their leg behind them to try and re-set it. There might be a little limp or soreness. Jose`one of my Chihuahuas had it so badly in one knee he'd cry sometimes...had surgery and never another problem. Chulita, my other Chi had loose knees but never any trouble whatsoever. If the dog shows no pain or disruption with the gait, I wouldn't worry. If you want to as the vet, that might ease your mind and make sure there's nothing wrong going on. At the same time, the knees can be felt too. Usually, you can gently try and pop them out...not hard. And if they're loose, you'll feel it. If it's super mild, which is often the case, there's usually not a problem. Maurice's knees are very mildly loose but they never pop out or cause him a lick of trouble. Matisse has had surgery for one lousy knee that just developed over time after an injury to a medial ligament.
> 
> Does Pixie indicate any discomfort of pain? How is her gait?


Nope not a lick of pain or discomfort! She rough houses with the local dogs and is a happy cheerful dog. I tried stacking her, when I put her down she kind of sunk into her elbows then popped up strongly. I compare it to when I stand and am tied and lean more on one leg sometimes.....that’s what she seems to do. It’s not always popped out.

Her gait seems fine, she moves well and also bounces like a rabbit growling and leaping when she wants to play with human or dog.

I had no concerns based on pain or behavior....just wanted to be sure it wasn’t something outright glaring like a patella issue!


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Oh good. I'm glad she has no pain or troubles with that. I forgot to come back to this. Anyhow, she sounds like a fun, bouncy and happy dog.


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Aimiloo said:


> I had no concerns based on pain or behavior....just wanted to be sure it wasn’t something outright glaring like a patella issue!


The best is really to have her examined by a vet. It’s impossible to tell from a picture.


----------



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I know you did not request this advise, but as far as the aesthetics of her stance; you can ask the groomer to trim her to make her stance look better. It is amazing what a few snips in the right place can do. If you do the grooming yourself, a book with poodle confirmation is likely to have advise on how to minimize "faults". I know about this because my old boy is longer than he is tall. If he has the 'corrective ' trim he looks close to square... when I let the hair on his chest and bum get too long, he looks dumpy.


----------

