Forelimb Lameness in SA Flashcards
What is the usually the only cause of shoulder lameness in YOUNG dogs?
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
What causes shoulder lameness in a dog that isn’t young?
Osteoarthritis, Soft tissue injuries e.g. rotator cuff, Trauma
Why does OCD occur?
problem with the vasculature in the cartilage meaning the cartilage doesn’t form bone and it necrosis and/or causes fissure/ flap formation
Which breeds and sex commonly get OCD in the shoulder?
Giant breeds e.g. great Danes, wolfhounds, Bernese mountain dogs
Males usually
What age does OCD present and what signs will show on the physical exam?
4-8 months old
Forelimb lameness with muscle atrophy and pain on flexion/ extension
How do we diagnose OCD? (3)
Radiographs
Can perform a contrast arthrogram for less obvious lesions- inject contrast into joint
Arthroscopy
How is OCD treated? (2)
Surgical removal of the flap
Conservative pain management- but flap can break off and tear bicep so best to remove it surgically ourselves
Young, toy breeds commonly suffer from…
How is this treated?
Shoulder luxations
Treat surgically by transposing the biceps tendon or putting artificial ligaments in to stabilise the joint
What is the most common type of elbow dysplasia presented in practice?
Medial Coronoid process disease (95%)
[the bone in front of the ulna which articulates with the humerus and radius)
What causes Medial Coronoid Process disease?
Radial-ulna incongruity- growth mismatch causes overloading on the coronoid
What conservative management can we recommend for Medial Coronoid Disease? (4)
Weight restriction
Hydrotherapy to build more muscle to support joint
NSAIDs
Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation
Apart from medial coronoid process disease, what other structure can radial-ulna incongruity affect?
Excessively long radius can put pressure on the Anconeal process
What is Trochlea notch dysplasia in the elbow?
type of growth disturbance that causes broad humero bulb that ‘pinches’ the bone
What clinical signs can we expect to see with Elbow Dysplasia?
Forelimb lameness that is worse post exercise and would possibly shift sides but frequently bilateral
Effusion
What radiographic views is it standard practice to take to diagnose Elbow Dysplasia?
Cranio-caudal
Mediolateral neutral
Mediolateral flexed
Why is it standard to take 3 radiographic views to diagnose elbow dysplasia?
Common for the medial epicondyle to superimpose the anconyl process and block the full view
Which breeds are predisposed to Ununited anconeal process?
GSD, Basset Hounds, American Bulldogs
How do we diagnose Ununited anconeal process?
BUT what’s the catch?
Radiographic diagnosis
BUT have to wait until dog is older than 20 weeks as there is a separate fusion centre before 5 months
Would we perform a CT/ Arthroscopy in an animal with a ununited anconeal process?
Yes we can if planning surgery as it allows accurate measurements for dissection BUT fairly useless otherwise as it is very easy to diagnose via radiographs
What options do we have for treating ununited anconeal process? (2)
Removal of excess- short term treatment as leads to Osteoarthritis
Osteotomy if patient is young enough
Apart from the shoulder, where else may we find OCD and how common is this?
in the humerus but fairly uncommon (found in labs, retrivers and newfoundlands)
What is the general prognosis for animals with elbow dysplasia?
It’s a lifelong disease process that usually progresses to osteoarthritis
How can breeders prevent elbow dysplasia?
Has a high heritability so can radiographic screen their dogs under the Kennel Club scheme and register them as healthy if they pass and not breed ones that do not pass
What is a common disease process to see in a Spaniels forelimb?
Humeral Intracondylar fissures (HIF)- its a partial/ complete gap found in the humeral condyle
