Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High rate of elbow disease in lame large breed dogs seen on X-rays
By Mostafa, Ayman et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2018·Small Animal Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The prevalence of medial coronoid process disease is high in lame large breed dogs and quantitative radiographic assessments contribute to the diagnosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of large breed dogs, specifically Labrador and Golden Retrievers, were found to have a high rate of medial coronoid process disease, which is a common cause of front leg lameness. In a study, about 20.8% of these dogs showed signs of this condition, characterized by deformed elbow bones and associated joint changes. While advanced imaging techniques like CT scans are better for diagnosis, regular X-rays can still help identify the problem. Treatment options typically include pain management and possibly surgery, and many dogs improve with appropriate care.
People also search for: dog elbow pain · Labrador coronoid process disease · Golden Retriever lameness treatment
Abstract
Medial coronoid process disease is a common leading cause of thoracic limb lameness in dogs. Computed tomography and arthroscopy are superior to radiography to diagnose medial coronoid process disease, however, radiography remains the most available diagnostic imaging modality in veterinary practice. Objectives of this retrospective observational study were to describe the prevalence of medial coronoid process disease in lame large breed dogs and apply a novel method for quantifying the radiographic changes associated with medial coronoid process and subtrochlear-ulnar region in Labrador and Golden Retrievers with confirmed medial coronoid process disease. Purebred Labrador and Golden Retrievers (n = 143, 206 elbows) without and with confirmed medial coronoid process disease were included. The prevalence of medial coronoid process disease in lame large breed dogs was calculated. Mediolateral and craniocaudal radiographs of elbows were analyzed to assess the medial coronoid process length and morphology, and subtrochlear-ulnar width. Mean grayscale value was calculated for radial and subtrochlear-ulnar zones. The prevalence of medial coronoid process disease was 20.8%. Labrador and Golden Retrievers were the most affected purebred dogs (29.6%). Elbows with confirmed medial coronoid process disease had short (P < 0.0001) and deformed (∼95%) medial coronoid process, with associated medial coronoid process osteophytosis (7.5%). Subtrochlear-ulnar sclerosis was evidenced in ∼96% of diseased elbows, with a significant increase (P < 0.0001) in subtrochlear-ulnar width and standardized grayscale value. Radial grayscale value did not differ between groups. Periarticular osteophytosis was identified in 51.4% of elbows with medial coronoid process disease. Medial coronoid process length and morphology, and subtrochlear-ulnar width and standardized grayscale value varied significantly in dogs with confirmed medial coronoid process disease compared to controls. Findings indicated that medial coronoid process disease has a high prevalence in lame large breed dogs and that quantitative radiographic assessments can contribute to the diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29873147/