SA Lameness and Investigation of Orthopaedic Diseases Flashcards
List three things that you should observe in the stance of a lame dog
Symmetry
Weight bearing
Angular deformity
How would you grade lameness in small animals?
0-10
0: Sound
1: Occasionally shifts weight
2: Mild lameness at slow trot, none whilst walking
3: Mild lameness whilst walking
4: Obvious lameness whilst walking, places foot when standing
5-8: Degrees of severity
9: Places toe when standing, carries limb when trotting
10: Unable to weight bear
List 5 things you may observe when palpating a
lame standing animal
Asymmetry
Swelling
Muscle atrophy
Joint enlargement
Abnormal conformation
What is the acronym for things you should look for on an orthopaedic physical examination? What does it stand for?
SPIRM
Swelling, joint effusion
Pain
Instability
Range of motion
Manipulation
What does the cranial draw test show?
The integrity of the cranial cruciate ligament
Describe how you would perform a cranial draw test
Lateral recumbency
Hold fermur and tibia and try to move tibia cranially with respect to the femur
Repeat test with stifl at different angles or flexion/extension
What does the tibial compression test show?
Cranial cruciate liagment integrity
Describe how you would perform the tibial compression test
Hand over distal fermur, first finger on the tibial tuberosity, other hand on foot
Keep stifle still whilst flexing the hock
Tibial tuberosity displaces cranially if ligament ruptured
Describe how you would test for patella luxation
Stifle extended - quadriceps relaxed
Try and shift patella medially and laterally
What is the ortolani test used to show?
Hip laxity
Describe how you would perform the ortolani test
Dorsal recumbency
Subluxate hips by pressing towards back
Abduct femurs
Adduct hips
What is the acronym for the differential diagnoses of bone pathology and what does it stand for?
GIFT
Growth plates
Inflammatory/infectious/immune
Fractures
Tumours
What is the acronym for the differential diagnoses of joint pathology and what does it stand for?
DIM
Dislocation
Inflammation
Musculotendinous and ligamentous
What are CT scans useful for in orthopedic examinations of lame dogs?
Useful for identifying minimally displaced fractures
What is MRI useful for in orthopaedic examinations of lame dogs?
Useful for soft tissue architecture
Less useful for bone
Very useful for neurology/nerve root tumours
When palpating for joint effusions, how would a carpus feel with a joint effusion?
Loss of definition of carpal bones cranially
When palpating for joint effusions, how would the elbow feel with a joint effusion?
Bulge between olecranon and the lateral epicondyle
When palpating for joint effusions, how would the shoulder and hip feel with a joint effusion?
Effusions are not palpable
When palpating for joint effusions, how would a hock feel with a joint effusion?
Palpable as a bulge cranially and caudally
When palpating for joint effusions, how would a stifle feel with a joint effusion?
Bulges out either side of the patella ligament
Describe how you would perform arthrocentesis
Clip and aseptic preparation
Introduce needle and apply negative pressure with needle held still
Release pressure before withdrawing needle from joint
Make smear and submit EDTA sample
