Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scans show elbow tendon disease in dogs with lameness
By de Bakker, Evelien et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2014·Department of Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computed tomography of canine elbow joints affected by primary and concomitant flexor enthesopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Labrador was brought in for limping due to elbow pain, which was suspected to be caused by flexor enthesopathy, a condition affecting the tendons around the elbow. To determine the exact cause, the veterinarian used a CT scan, which showed lesions consistent with this condition. However, the scan could not always distinguish between primary flexor enthesopathy and cases where it occurred alongside other elbow problems. The study suggests that using multiple diagnostic methods can help veterinarians create a better treatment plan for dogs with elbow lameness.
People also search for: dog elbow pain treatment · Labrador limping cause · flexor enthesopathy in dogs
Abstract
Flexor enthesopathy is an important differential diagnosis for elbow lameness in dogs. The disorder can be a primary cause of elbow lameness or concomitant with other elbow pathology. Since treatment differs for primary and concomitant forms of flexor enthesopathy, a noninvasive method for distinguishing between them is needed. In the current prospective study, computed tomographic (CT) examination was performed before and after IV injection of contrast in 17 dogs with primary flexor enthesopathy, 24 dogs with concomitant flexor enthesopathy, 13 dogs with elbow dysplasia, and seven normal dogs. Dogs were assigned to groups based on results of clinical examination and at least three other imaging modalities. Computed tomographic lesions consistent with flexor enthesopathy were found in all clinically affected joints with primary flexor enthesopathy and in 29 of the 30 clinically affected joints with concomitant flexor enthesopathy. Those lesions were not found in sound elbows or joints affected by elbow dysplasia. Flexor lesions detected in dogs with primary flexor enthesopathy were not significantly different from those detected in dogs with the concomitant form. Findings indicated that CT can be applied to detect flexor enthesopathy, but a distinction between the primary and concomitant forms was not always possible. Authors recommend the use of multiple diagnostic techniques for treatment planning in affected dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24033837/