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Originally Posted by Jemma  oh boy, reading all this stuff about knees is so scary. My Jemma is 5 months and she has a roach back. But she runs like the devil, with no problems....so far. Does a roach back automatically mean they will get bad knees? |
Any structural flaws like roach backs, bowed legs, knock knees, etc. will predispose a dog to joint problems later on as it puts abnormal stress on the joints. So many people think the the Yorkie standard is just a beauty contest, but the specifications are really there to insure a physically sound dog.
Yorkies are ranked #4 by the Orthopedic Foundation of America in number of cases of luxating patellas. Your best chance of getting one without LP is to get a puppy from a reputable breeder who has both parents checked for LP's and knows her lines to be free of them generations back. You also have to make sure they don't jump on and off furniture as LP's can also be caused by traumatic injury.
Here's some information from the OFA:
OFA: Patellar Luxation Information