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Luxating Patellas in the Yorkshire Terrier
by Jennifer White, Bricriu Kennels
The lack of the standard to describe
appropriate, or rather detailed, description
of bone and body proportions has led to
the development of dramatically different
breed types and construction; not
necessarily negative. If one ventures further
into the research of the breed in its
Scottish origins (yes Scottish, not English!)
and studies the Illustrated Guide, the so
sought after directives are expertly spelled
out and elaborated on. The Yorkshire
Terrier is an endurance breed used for
hunting and killing small animals and vermin
with the ability to carry and fling. Knowing
this, “Medium” is a very good description.
It automatically fits the 3:2 ratio of skull to
muzzle and will carry a moderate neck. It
should have a good spring of rib and depth
of brisket and fore chest for heart and lung
capacity that reaches to meet the elbow. It
is a medium, balanced, dog with standard
reach and drive. It is an endurance trotter
that exhibits single suspension in a single
cycle, a cycle being where each leg of the
dog takes a single step. Form absolutely
follows function. All of these directives are
imperative for the Yorkie to be able to
perform its job. When deviated from to any
extreme, the form breaks down creating an
inferior dog. For the purposes of this
article, the deviation from the standard
causing the breakdown of the rear
assembly and the rising incidences of
Luxating Patellas in the breed.
Luxating Patella (LP) is caused by the
rotation of the tibia and the curved
formation of the lower femur
resulting in the structural misalignment
of the patella (knee cap) causing slippage
out of the trochlear groove (two bony
ridges that form a fairly deep groove in
which the patella is supposed to slide up
and down). In a normal dog, the trochlear
groove limits the patella’s movement to
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