To document cartilage damage associated with elbow lameness in dogs without radiographic signs.
Elbow pathology not associated with radiographic changes can be identified by CT and scintigraphy. Coronoid pathology is the most likely diagnosis.
This report describes consensus guidelines and recommendations for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (OA) according to the “Canine OsteoArthritis Staging Tool excluding radiography” (COASTeR) stage of OA, by the COAST Development Group. The recommendations are based on evidence-based medicine and clinical experience and are proposed with international relevance in mind. The aim is to provide veterinarians with a practical reference to consolidated information and to support the development of patient-specific OA management protocols and informed treatment choices based on the stage of OA.
Canine osteoarthritis is a complex disease and only animal healthcare professionals with personal knowledge of the patient can optimize care plans to meet the needs of the patient and requirements of the pet caregiver. This proposal for the first international guidelines for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (OA), according to the COASTeR OA stage, is intended to provide a practical reference to evidence-based recommendations and expert opinion while leaving decision-making and the development of protocols appropriate to each dog’s specific situation, firmly in the hands of the consulting veterinarian. The authors encourage the use of the COAST staging tool and the COAST canine OA treatment guidelines proposal, and welcome feedback to help guide future updates and the optimization of both ([email protected]).
“We investigated 42 patients who were being considered for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), but in whom it was uncertain whether the hip was the source of their pain.”
“Of 33 patients who gained pain relief from their injection, 32 subsequently had successful THA. The remaining patient has not had surgery.”
To identify risk factors for development of excessive tibial plateau angle (TPA) in large-breed dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD).
Results suggested that early neutering was a significant risk factor for development of excessive TPA in large-breed dogs with CCLD. Further research into the effects of early neutering on TPA and the pathophysiology of CCLD is warranted.
To validate a disease-specific client-based clinical metrology instrument (questionnaire) for dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the elbow joint.
The reliability of Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (elbow) in the test-retest scenario was good; intraclass correlation coefficient is 0.89, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.75 to 0.95, compared with intraclass correlation coefficient 0.92, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.74 to 0.98, for peak vertical force. Responsiveness testing indicated that the “net” effect size (allowing for placebo effect) for Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (elbow) was 0.13 compared with (-)0.18 for the force platform. Criterion validity for Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs(elbow) against peak vertical force was poor; Spearman’s rank correlation is -0.24 (P=0.30).
Patellar luxation can be either medial or lateral and is one of the most common orthopaedic diseases of the hindlimb in dogs. The condition is most often congenital and associated with varying degrees of skeletal deformity of the femur and tibia. It is suggested that an abnormal conformation of the hip joint or pelvis is the origin of the disease.
The condition is less common in cats. Patellar luxations can be classified into four grades of severity. Diagnosis is based mainly on palpation of the affected stifle and patella.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) and associated clinical signs in young dogs (aged 8 months–4 years). Each joint was scored for pain reactions (0–4). Orthogonal radiographs of all joints were made under sedation. Each joint was scored for radiographic OA (rOA) severity. Clinical OA (cOA) was defined as an overlap of rOA and joint pain in ≥ 1 joint. The owners of 123 dogs agreed to participate. Overall, 39.8% (49/123) of dogs had rOA in ≥ 1 joint, and 16.3% (20/123) or 23.6% (29/123) dogs had cOA, depending on the cut-off value of joint pain; moderate (2), or mild (1), respectively. Owners of dogs with cOA observed signs of impairment in approximately 30% of cases. Only 2 dogs with cOA were receiving OA pain management. The most commonly affected joints in descending order of frequency were elbow, hip, tarsus, and stifle.
Radiographically visible OA is common in young dogs (8m- 4y), and 40–60% of dogs with radiographic OA had clinical OA. Pain appears underdiagnosed and undertreated in young dogs.
“To test the ‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’ (LOAD) questionnaire for construct and criterion validity, and to similarly test the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI) and the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI).”
“LOAD is an owner-completed clinical metrology instrument that can be recommended for the measurement of canine osteoarthritis. It is convenient to use, validated and, as demonstrated here for the first time, has a correlation with force-platform data.”
Cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) is the most common cause of hindlimb lameness in the dog, being associated with and eventually leading to stifle osteoarthritis.
Conformation abnormalities, such as a narrowed distal femoral intercondylar notch, in high risk breeds have been shown to be associated with alterations in cranial cruciate ligament ultrastructure. Increased production of inflammatory cytokines, such as cathepsins and interleukins, by the stifle synovial cells may occur secondary to or may be an inciting cause of ligament degeneration. Future research endeavours will focus on the association between immune-mediated response and fibrocartilaginous metaplasia and matrix degradation within the cranial cruciate ligament, and whether this can be altered in all susceptible dogs or only certain breeds.
