# This may sound like a stupid question, but ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 26, 2000, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862 "2000-07-26T01:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/1 "2000-07-26T01:58:46Z")
How many knees (if any) does a dog have? Now you may ask, “Jack, why would you ask such a stupid question?” I have my reasons. Want to hear them? Ok. There is this woman in my neighborhood who recently got her first dog. Now she thinks she is the authority on all matters canine related - but that’s a different rant. Anyway, I ran into her the other day, and struck up a conversation, in which she informed me that her dog was at the vetrinary hospital having it’s knees replaced. My first response, spoken to myself was, “Knees? Dogs have knees?” So I figure one of three possibilities are true … 1 - The vet saw her coming. “I’m afraid to tell you ma’am but your dog’s, um, uh, knees, yeah that’s it, his knees need to be um, uh, replaced. Yes his knees need to be replaced. And I need a new DVD player so three/four hundred dollars ought to cover it.” 2 - This woman is suffering from some sort of strange condition - Canine Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, in which dog owners subject their pets to unnecessary medical procedures to garner attention for themselves. In which case she needs more help than that yippy little rat she calls a dog. or 3 - Dogs actually have knees, which on occasion need to be replaced. Can anyone enlighten me on this situation? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/2 "2000-07-26T02:03:36Z")
A dog has two knees, one on each hind leg. I believe that the only mammal that has four knees is the elephant. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/3 "2000-07-26T02:21:23Z")
I just fondled my dog’s legs. Okay, maybe it’s because I’m a human and she’s not, but they don’t feel like knees to me. I guess I’m wondering how one might go about replacing them. Think about this,though - if what you say is true, what if you had conjoin twin schnauzers, attached at the hip, might you be able to say that this animal is a dog with four knees? Or would it be an elephant? ---
**Author:** ![sorrel554](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/4 "2000-07-26T02:25:52Z")
> [@](#): > > I believe that the only mammal that has four knees is the elephant. We had this question in Trivial Pursuit the other night, and this was what the card gave as the correct answer. FWIW, since they aren’t always accurate. ---
**Author:** ![NickyLarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b2d939/32.png) [@NickyLarson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NickyLarson)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/5 "2000-07-26T02:37:45Z")
I bet this same woman also spent a fortune buying dentures for her chickens. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/6 "2000-07-26T02:44:07Z")
From [http://www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com): (bolding mine) > [@](#): > > Main Entry: knee > Pronunciation: 'nE > Function: noun > Usage: often attributive > Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cnEow; akin to Old High German kneo knee, Latin genu, Greek gony Date: before 12th century > 1 a : a joint in the middle part of the human leg that is the articulation between the femur, tibia, and patella; also : the part of the leg that includes this joint > \*\*b (1) : the joint in the hind leg of a four-footed vertebrate that corresponds to the human knee > (2) : the carpal joint of the foreleg of a four-footed vertebrate \*\* > c : the tarsal joint of a bird > d : the joint between the femur and tibia of an insect Now why they would need to be replaced, that is a different question. They don’t seem to be like tires that just wear out or get a blowout. Maybe **Michi** will catch this thread and help us out here, she works in a vet’s office or something like that. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/7 "2000-07-26T02:56:08Z")
Okay, I guess I can call off the social workers from the canine division. I have been enlightened. Dogs have knees, as appearantly do all four legged vertabrates, birds, insects, and even willing to believe most fish at this point. I think I’ll tell her if she’ll give me 50 bucks, I’ll change the batteries in her hamster. That is unless Michi can come through and tell me that, yes, in fact, dogs do, on occasion, find themselves in the situation, wherein, the above mention knees, need to be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/8 "2000-07-26T02:59:00Z")
The knee of a dog is located really close to its body, with an extremely short forearm. The ankle is the main joint in what we call its leg. I’ve never heard of a dog getting its knees replaced, but for large breeds that suffer from hip dysplasia, hip replacements are occasionally given to champions so they can continue to breed.(Which always seemed like they are breeding bad traits in, which is one of the reasons I will never get another purebred.) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-may-sound-like-a-stupid-question-but/26862/9 "2000-07-26T03:09:28Z")
If quadrupeds (except elephants) have got knees only on the hind legs, may I assume that what they’ve got in their front legs is elbows? Note: To you it may look like dogs’ and cats’ knees bend backwards. Not so; the joint bending backwards is actually their ankle. Their paws are actually their toes, and their foreleg is actually the arch of their foot. Really weak pictogrammic depiction: ```auto Human: | P ) / / K \ \ _M__A Cat (since that is what I have near me at the moment): \ ----P--/ K--/ \__A / _M/ ``` Note: P: pelvis, K: knee, A: ankle, M: metatarsophalangeal joints (also known as the ball of the foot). Carnivorous mammals (like dogs and cats) are what are called digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes. Humans are plantigrade, meaning they walk on the soles of their feet. Hoofed mammals are unguligrade, because they walk on their hoofs (equivalent to their toenails). Birds are basically built the same as cats, except one or more of their toes usually bend backwards (check out your local parakeet).