Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Osteophyte growth on X-rays helps predict dog cruciate ligament
By Engdahl, Karolina et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2023·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Degree of osteophyte formation seen on radiographs provides useful prognostic information for dogs with cruciate ligament disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study involving 226 dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) found that the amount of bone spurs (osteophytes) visible on X-rays can help predict how likely a dog is to need euthanasia due to their condition. The more osteophytes present, the higher the risk of euthanasia. This means that if your dog has CCLD, having their X-rays evaluated for osteophyte formation could give you and your vet important information about their prognosis and treatment options.
People also search for: dog cruciate ligament disease prognosis · dog osteoarthritis treatment · dog bone spurs X-ray results
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Concurrent osteoarthritis is generally present in the stifle joints of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD), but it is not known if the degree of osteoarthritis-related changes affects the prognosis. Development of osteophytes is a key radiographic feature of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the degree of osteophyte formation seen on radiographs and CCLD-related euthanasia in dogs with CCLD. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study including 226 dogs treated for CCLD at two university animal hospitals was performed. Clinical and follow-up information was retrieved, and stifle radiographs taken during the 31 days before treatment for the CCLD were graded for osteophyte formation by three veterinary radiologists. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was applied to assess the association between the degree of osteophyte formation and CCLD-related euthanasia. RESULTS: An association between the degree of osteophyte formation and CCLD-related euthanasia was found, with increased osteophyte formation associated with an increased hazard of CCLD-related euthanasia (hazard ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.11, p = 0.01). LIMITATIONS: No clinical assessment of the outcome was performed. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that evaluation of stifle radiographs for osteophyte formation could provide useful prognostic information for dogs with CCLD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36504411/