The “patella” is the kneecap for both people and pets. It's attached to the shinbone at one end and to powerful thigh muscles at the other end. It sits at the front of the stifle joint, which is the knee joint in dogs and cats. When the knee functions normally, the patella rides smoothly along a groove in the femur.

Do dogs have back knees?

The upper thigh (femur) is the part of the dog's leg situated above the knee on the hind leg. The stifle or knee is the joint that sits on the front of the hind leg in line with the abdomen. The lower thigh (tibia and fibula) is the part of the hind leg beneath the knee to the hock.

Where is the kneecap on a dog?

A dog's kneecap (patella) normally sits in a groove at the lower end of the thigh bone (femur) and moves up and down when the knee is flexing and extending.