The purpose of the study was to evaluate the kinematic characteristics of pelvic limb joints in orthopaedically normal dogsduring stair ascent.
All joints of the pelvic limb undergo a greater joint motion to ascend stairs.
This review assessed the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on pain from tendinopathy. The authors concluded that LLLT can reduce pain in subacute and chronic tendinopathy if a valid treatment procedure and location-specific dose is used. Differences among the studies were not examined and only the short-term outcomes were assessed. The authors’ conclusions may not be reliable.
Thirteen RCTs with sixteen treatment comparisons were included (n approximately 789).
Nine RCTs using optimal laser treatment dose and power density found that LLLT reduced pain in patients with sub-acute and chronic tendinopathy compared with control (WMD 32%, 95% CI: 23, 41).
Nine RCTs using optimal laser treatment dose and power density and 4 RCTs not using optimal treatment parameters found that LLLT reduced pain compared with control (WMD 22%, 95% CI: 5.9, 36.1). There was a statistically significant difference between RCTs using optimal laser treatment dose and power density and those RCTs not using optimal treatment parameters (P<0.001).
The funnel plots suggested there was potential for some publication bias.
Here, we will review and comment on some recent work, involving both in vitro studies of human OA synovium and studies of OA pathology in animal models, which have strongly suggested that the inflamed synovium and activated syno- vial macrophages are important in promoting OA pa- thology. In particular, we will provide an overview of the role of synovial macrophages in promoting inflamma- tory and destructive responses in OA and the potential role of therapeutic strategies directed against macro- phages or macrophage-produced cytokines as remission- inducing agents in this disease.
Although it remains most likely that the fundamental difference between OA and RA is found at the level of cartilage and bone rather than in the synovium, the above findings would certainly stimu- late interest from academia and industry to investigate intracellular signaling and cytokine biology in OA syno- vium, in the search for potential therapeutic targets.
To assess clinical effects of an omega-3 fatty acid and protein-enriched diet, physical rehabilitation, or both in dogs following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) and arthroscopic surgery for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease.
Feeding the TF and providing physical rehabilitation during the first 6 months after TPLO were associated with improvements in some indices of clinical outcome and function in dogs. Significant interactions between time and some outcome variables were observed, indicating further research is warranted.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has expanded from the original uses of human urinary calculi treatment to veterinary orthopaedic applications. This paper investigates the feasibility and efficacy of treating dogs with osteoarthritis of the stifle joint with ESWT.
The subjective data provided by client questionnaire did not show significant difference between groups.
To compare the tissue-cooling efficiency of external cryotherapy with and without adjunctive compression.
Externally applied instant cold packs in a dog model caused local tissue hypothermia that peaked by 20 minutes, persisted for at least 1 hour, and was significantly augmented by adjunctive compression. Further research is needed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of these interventions in the management of acute soft-tissue injuries.
To assess the impact of partial immersion in water on vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and vGRF distribution in dogs.
vGRF decreased as the depth of immersion increased. The thoracic limb-to-pelvic limb vGRF ratio was unchanged in dogs after immersion to the tarsal or stifle joints, but it increased after immersion to the hip joints.
It has been reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from periodontal pathogens can penetrate gingival tissues and stimulate the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is known as a potent stimulator of inflammation and bone resorption. Although biostimulatory effects of low-level laser irradiation such as anti-inflammatory results have been reported, the physiological mechanism is not yet clarified. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of laser irradiation on PGE2 production and cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 gene expression in LPS-challenged human gingival fibroblast (hGF) cells in vitro.
In conclusion, low-level laser irradiation inhibited PGE2 by LPS in hGF cells through a reduction of COX-2 mRNA level. The findings suggest that low-level laser irradiation may be of therapeutic benefit against the aggravation of gingivitis and periodontitis by bacterial infection.
Five dogs with bilateral hip dysplasia and without osteoarthritis of other joints were enrolled in this pilot study. Objective kinetic data using a pressure sensitive mat and owner assessments using the canine brief pain inventory (CBPI) and Liverpool Osteoarthritis for Dogs (LOAD) questionnaires were obtained prior to treatment. Enrolled dogs were treated in one hip with autologous protein solution(APS) and the contralateral hip was injected with an equal volume of saline. The hip to be treated was selected using a random number generator. At exactly 28 days following treatment dogs were re-assessed using the pressure sensitive mat and the CBPI and LOAD questionnaires. No dogs were treated with any other medications or supplements throughout the study period.
Assessment of the total pressure index (TPI) collected using the pressure sensitive mat showed that the hips treated with APS improved significantly more than hips treated with saline (p = 0.0005) and that the hips treated with APS bore significantly more weight than the hips treated with saline at day 28 (p < 0.05). Statistically significant improvement was noted by owners in “pain” and “function” as assessed by the CBPI as well “mobility at exercise” using the LOAD questionnaire. This pilot study provided proof of principle that APS is beneficial in treating pain and lameness in dogs affected by coxofemoral osteoarthritis.
