lameness exam small animal

Question 1

Why is a history a good part of the lameness exam

Answer 1

you want to know if this patient takes any medications, diabetic dogs will display a drop in the calcaneal tendon

(trauma) want to know if this pet was exercising and then fell or if they just woke up lame (progression)

signalment-breed, age, sex: ex: german shepherds have lower hocks

answers may lead to other questions

Question 2

lameness diagnosis consist of a few important things, what are they

Answer 2

history
neuro exam
ortho exam
general physical exam

Question 3

never use what word to describe a leg is lame

Answer 3

“favoring”

Question 4

tips for an orthopedics exam

Answer 4

-consistent in your exam, so that you don’t miss something
-want to examine the affected leg last, unless the animal does not allow it
-muzzle! if questionable
-look at symmetry, stans

Question 5

tips for palpating

Answer 5

do the lame leg last

do both standing and recumbent

check symmetry, look for muscle atrophy, bone abnormality,

Question 6

what is the visual inspection analyzing

Answer 6

stans, symmetry
confirmation-there are breed differences
watch them sit and stand

Question 7

gait analysis

Answer 7

watch them walk, trot, pace etc
you can challenge them by walking them in a circle, going up or down stairs
look for ataxia- may indicate lameness

watch them walk towards and away, and from the side

Question 8

what does down on sound mean

Answer 8

dogs head goes down when they are putting weight on the normal leg

this is analyzing thoracic limbs

Question 9

hip hike

Answer 9

hip goes up when the affected leg is attempting weight bearing

Question 10

what can you observe regarding stride speed and length

Answer 10

lame leg- short and slow

normal- faster stride

Question 11

joint effusion is best felt when

Answer 11

standing

Question 12

spinal palpation of the neck, back, and tail

Answer 12

neck- should flex lateral, dorsal and ventral (flexion, extension and lateral)

back- apply pressure on the spinal processes

tail- lift the tail, and hip lumbar extension

Question 13

recumbent examination

Answer 13

start distal and work up proximal

separate movement to one joint
(hard to separate the elbow and shoulder)

Question 14

what are the 6 parameters of an orthopedics exam

Answer 14

1.pain
2.swelling
3.effusion
4. crepitus
5.instability
6.ROM

Question 15

digit palpation

Answer 15

palpate all the long bones, flex each joint
may find broken nails responsible for the lameness, dermatitis, cuts, FB etc

Question 16

palpating the carpus

Answer 16

check for effusion cranially
instability- medial and lateral collateral ligaments

Question 17

palpation of the ulna, and radius

Answer 17

check for pain, palpate long bones for abnormality

Question 18

when palpating the shoulder dont forget about

Answer 18

the scapula!

Question 19

stifle palpation
effusion
medial buttress

Answer 19

effusion felt lateral to patellar tendon
medial buttress- thickening of medial joint capsule

Question 20

what is the cranial drawer test

landmarks

Answer 20

this is testing cranial cruciate ligament- this could be partial or complete tear

the tibia should move cranially- if it does this means there’s a CCL tear
-cranial translation of tibia relative to the femur

patella, fabella, tibia tuberosity and fibular head

Question 21

what is the cranial tibial thrust

Answer 21

this is also testing CCL- its an indirect cranial drawer test

Question 22

what are the landmarks to look for hip luxation?

Answer 22

wing of the ilium, ischial tuberosity and greater trochanter

Question 23

for cranial dorsal hip luxation, the landmarks for a ___

Answer 23

line

wing of the ilium
greater trochanter
ischial tuberosity

Question 24

what is the ortolani test for?

Answer 24

its to test for hip dysplasia, a negative test is not conclusive

adduct the femur dorsally, then abducted

+ ortolani test will subluxate when the femur is abducted dorsallu
, reduction is felt or heard