G2 Orthopaedic examination Flashcards
Recall the structure and the steps of performing an orthopaedic examination in a dog or cat, know the specific palpatory tests to perform, understand how typical pathological changes can be detected on the orthopaedic examination, know to detect signs of joint effusion on radiographs.
What is crepitus and what does it indicate?
Crepitus is the clicking or grinding felt when moving a joint through its range of motion. This indicates the presence of osteophytes around the joint and an underlying disease process occurring.
What specific orthopaedic tests are performed on the stifle?
Cranial drawer
Tibial thrust
Patella luxation
What sort of things might you look out for during a gait evaluation?
Stride length Head nod Scuffing of nails Bunny hopping Circumduction Neurological signs - ataxia, paraparesis, paraplegia
What is the Ortolani test used to identify?
It is a test of hip laxity (which is an important feature of canine hip dysplasia, in particular in the young animal).
When examining limbs, the SAP acronym is helpful. What feature does each letter stand for and what may be the cause of each change?
S: Swelling (bone or soft tissue) - may be caused by numerous reasons, such as trauma, neoplasia, fracture or inflammation
A: Muscle Atrophy - may be due to disuse or neurogenic
P: Pain (bone or soft tissue) - may be due to neoplasia, inflammation, panosteitis or trauma/fracture
When attempting to luxate (dislocate) the patella, is it more useful to have the stifle flexed or extended and why?
Extended - so that the quadriceps muscle is relaxed. You can then try to shift the patella either medially or laterally.
When examining the joint, the CRISP acronym is useful to follow. What does each letter stand for?
C - crepitus (grating noise)
R - range of motion (flexion and extension)
I - instability (varus and valgus strain tolerated by collateral ligaments)
S - swelling (effusion or fibrosis)
P - pain
Which test of cruciate ligament integrity is easiest to perform on a conscious animal?
Tibial thrust test
The cranial drawer test might be more painful and should be performed under sedation
Define the following terms:
1) Ataxia
2) Paraparesis
3) Paraplegia
Ataxia: pelvic limb in-coordination (indication of damage to the cerebellum)
Paraparesis: neurological deficits present BUT motor function remains (limbs that are involved are partially affected)
Paraplegia: neurological deficits with absent motor function (limbs affected are completely paralyzed)
Using the 0 to 5 lameness grading system, define what signs a dog would show for each number
0/5=Normal gait pattern
1/5= Mild lameness, needing a trained eye to see
2/5= Moderate lameness with a normal stride length and partial weight bearing
3/5= Moderate lameness with shorter stride length and partial weight bearing
4/5= Severe lameness with toe touch weight bearing and minimal use of the limb
5/5 = Non weight bearing
Give 5 key questions you may ask an owner when taking a history for lameness
- How long has the lameness been occurring
- What was the onset like - gradual or acute - with any obvious event
- Is the lameness continual or intermittent
- Does the lameness alter with exercise or rest
- Is the dog/cat on any medication (especially pain relief)
- What limb the owner percieves the lameness to be on
How would you feel for effusion around the following joints?
- Carpus
- Elbow
- Hock
- Stifle
- Carpus - feel for loss of definition betwee the carpal bones on the cranial aspect of the joint
- Elbow - feel for a bulge between the olecranon and lateral epicondyle
- Hock - feel for a slight bulge cranial or caudal to the tibiotarsal joit
- Stifle - effusion can be felt either side of the patella ligament
Why can you not feel for effusion on the hip and shoulder joints?
Because the surrounding muscle mass is too large
Why and how is the thumb displacement test performed?
Thumb displacement test is used to test for traumatic hip luxation
1) Place your thumb in the depression between the greater trochanter and the ischial tuberosity.
2) Externally rotate the hip by holding the stifle and outwardly rotating it
If the thumb is displaced then the hip is NOT luxated
What would you expect to find from arthrocentesis of a a normal joint concerning the amount and macroscopic appearance of fluid?
0.05-0.3ml of clear, viscous fluid
