You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Dislocations are commonly seen in veterinary patients, and accurate diagnosis and treatment is needed to avoid complications later in life

A dislocation occurs when there is disruption to the soft tissue supporting structures around (and sometimes within) a joint, and the articular surfaces of the two (or more) bones that make up the joint become displaced relative to each other.

 There are two main types of dislocation:

• Partial dislocation (also called subluxation) - in which the articular surfaces of the bones (which are covered in white cartilage) are still in contact with each other, but they are partly displaced.
• Total dislocation (also called a luxation) - in which the ends of the bones do not meet at all.

Sometimes there is a fracture associated with the dislocation - for example a chip of bone may be pulled away by a ligament that is torn. These injuries are called :

• Fracture dislocations 

Dislocations are usually caused by trauma, but they can also be present at birth and may be genetically transmitted (eg luxated patellas and hip dysplasia) and/or develop under the influence of environmental factors including diet and exercise (eg hip dysplasia).

At first an owner might think that a dislocated joint is better for their pet than having a fractured bone - but in fact broken bones may heal better in the long term than a dislocation. If the joint anatomy is not returned to normal, if there is too much movement in the joint so that it is unstable during weight bearing or exercise, or if the articular surfaces of the joint have been damaged during the dislocation inflammation and/or degenerative joint disease  (generally called osteoarthritis) can become established in the joint leading to recurrent lameness, reduce range of movement and decreased function of the joint.

Simple dislocations can be treated by manually replacing the bones into their normal positions and, if the anatomy holds the joint together, further treatment may be unnecessary. This is often the case for dislocations of the elbow, and sometimes the hip. In other joints management may not be so easy, for example the stifle (knee) in the hind leg is a complex joint consisting of :

• The femur (upper leg bone)
• The tibia (lower leg bone)
• The patella (knee-cap)
• The menisci (fibrocartilage structures that sit between the femur and tibia)
• The cruciate ligaments (which cross inside the joint)
• Collateral ligaments around the joint
• Patellar ligament - runs from the bottom of the patella to the tibia

If the stifle is injured, and/or the cruciate ligaments rupture the whole joint becomes unstable and will subluxate . Torn soft tissues (ligaments or cartilage) within the joint must be removed or they can cause trouble and the joint should be surgically stabilised. This may involve replacing the torn cruciate ligaments or collateral ligaments, or other surgery. 

Dislocations of the shoulder joint also often need to be surgically stabilised, otherwise the bones in the joint will displace each time the animal tries to bear weight on it.

Dislocations of complex joints like the carpus in the front leg, or the tarsus (hock) in the hind leg, both of which contain numerous small bones, can be much more difficult to manage because it may be impossible to replace the bones and maintain them in their original positions. In these cases it may be necessary to surgically fuse the joint (called "arthrodesis") to remove pain and instability so that the leg can be used without lameness.

The golden rules about treating dislocations are :

1. The joint should be stabilised in it's normal position as soon as possible following the injury...so veterinary attention should be sought as soon as possible
2.  In the immediate recovery period the joint may need to be rested, but a return to normal weight bearing and movement should be encouraged as soon as the surgical wounds have healed.

Updated October 2013