Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Quadriceps to thigh bone length ratio in small dogs with kneecap
By Nagahiro, Yukari et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2023·Faculty of Veterinary Science, Japan·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Evaluation of the quadriceps muscle length to femoral length ratio in small breed dogs with medial patellar luxation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of small breed dogs with medial patellar luxation (MPL), a condition where the kneecap slips out of place, was studied to understand how the length of their quadriceps muscle compared to their femur length. It was found that older dogs had longer quadriceps relative to their femur, while those with more severe MPL (grade IV) had shorter quadriceps. This suggests that as the severity of the condition increases, the muscle length may not keep up with bone growth, potentially leading to more severe issues. Understanding these measurements can help veterinarians better assess and treat dogs with this condition.
People also search for: small dog knee problems · medial patellar luxation treatment · dog quadriceps muscle length · patellar luxation in small breeds
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the quadriceps muscle length (QML) to femoral length (FL) ratio (QML/FL) and its associated factors in small breed dogs with medial patellar luxation (MPL) and to compare the differences in the QML/FL between MPL grades. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Small breed dogs (<10 kg) with MPL: 78 dogs (134 limbs). METHODS: Medical records and computed tomography (CT) images from 2008-2020 were reviewed. Furthermore, age, bodyweight, sex, laterality, MPL grade, femoral inclination angle (FIA), femoral torsion angle (FTA), anatomical lateral distal femoral angle (aLDFA), and patellar ligament length to patellar length ratio were included in the regression analysis to determine the factors associated with QML/FL. Each measurement parameter was compared among the four MPL grade groups. RESULTS: The final model demonstrated that the QML/FL increased with increasing age (p = .004) and decreased with increasing FTA and aLDFA (p = .015 and p < .001, respectively). The MPL grade IV group had a lower QML/FL than the grade I, II, and III groups (p = .002, p < .001, and p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Among small breed dogs, those with MPL grade IV had a shortened QML associated with femoral deformities. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Noninvasive evaluation of the QML/FL improves our understanding of the length mismatch between the quadriceps muscle and the femur.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36881987/