Orthopedics

There have been numerous developments in the field of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease.

The most common indication for total joint replacement in the small animal is osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease that is a cause of significant and frequent pain.

Osteoarthritis affects diarthrodial joints of small animals including the shoulder, elbow, carpus, hip, stifle, tarsus, and spinal articulations.

Elbow dysplasia is a group of diseases made up of several conditions including ununited anconeal process, osteochondritis dissecans humerus, fragmented coronoid process, and incomplete humeral ossification.

Joint diseases can be classified into inflammatory or non-inflammatory.

Chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal and neurologic systems are often classified as injuries in which the onset of clinical signs began greater than 2 weeks ago, have recurred more than once, or cannot be corrected surgically due to concurrent illness in the patient.

Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri researchers have developed an in vitro joint model that replaces laboratory animals, cuts costs and improves safety when studying human and canine arthritis.

Although it is expensive,TPO surgery can spare the dysplastic dog a lifetime limited by pain.

Angular limb deformities are common orthopedic conditions in dogs, and a wide variety of deformities can occur. These deformities have most commonly been described in the canine antebrachium.

A shift in your attitude can help your practice more than a change in prices.

Bone and articular cartilage turnover in horses occurs both in normal and abnormal states, in healthy and in damaged tissue.

FORT COLLINS, COLO - 08/02/06 - A $1-million gift to Colorado State University's equine veterinary programs will be evenly split between the university's Gail Holmes Equine Orthopaedic Research Center and the Equine Reproduction Laboratory.

In this double-blind, prospective, and randomized clinical trial from France, 60 dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery were treated with either preoperative meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg intravenously) or intraoperative ketoprofen (2 mg/kg intravenously) and assessed for pain for up to 24 hours after surgery.

In this prospective clinical trial from Finland, 11 toy breeds with radial fractures were treated with single or stacked biodegradable polylactide plates, metal screws (AO 1.5- to 2-mm diameter mini screws), and lightweight external coaptation.

Over thousands of years, greyhounds have been bred and selected for speed. This selective breeding may explain a number of the idiosyncrasies we see in the breed today. Retired racing greyhounds are becoming more common pets and more common patients in veterinary hospitals. It is estimated that about 18,000 greyhounds are placed into homes as pets annually. This article will familiarize practitioners with some idiosyncrasies in greyhounds that can affect their medical care.

Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis is a common cause of cauda equina syndrome and a relatively frequent neurologic disorder in older dogs. If this condition is recognized early, treatment may help alleviate significant morbidity.

Veterinary medicine is a rapidly evolving field, and nowhere is it more apparent than in the practice of canine orthopedics.

Recent advances in diagnostic visualization and surgical treatments have stimulated an increased emphasis on early clinical recognition of cranial cruciate ligament pathology. This article describes characteristics of normal and pathologic cranial cruciate ligaments and details clinical techniques to help you diagnose cranial cruciate ligament pathology earlier.

After an orthopedic procedure, it is common to have a convalescent period of weeks to months before recovery is attained. Physical rehabilitation may help patients achieve maximum recovery. Physical therapy is also valuable for easing chronic pain in pets.

Cranial cruciate ligament pathology is a leading cause of lameness in dogs. Many surgical treatments have been described that aim to restore stifle joint stability and minimize the progression of subsequent osteoarthritis. Most surgical treatments seek to replace the function of the cranial cruciate ligament by substituting autologous tissues or synthetic materials. More recently, the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedure has been described, which alters the mechanical forces acting on the stifle, rendering the cranial cruciate ligament unnecessary.

A 65-lb (29.5-kg) 6-year-old spayed female Doberman pinscher was presented for evaluation of a one-month history of progressive left forelimb lameness.

In this experimental study, 48 Labrador retrievers from seven litters with a high prevalence of canine hip dysplasia were examined throughout their lives for a relationship between a radiographic marker and the development of osteoarthritis in the hip joint.

MANHATTAN, KAN.-Kansas State University (KSU) veterinarians performed the first non-cemented total hip replacement on a dog at the university's veterinary medical teaching hospital.

DVM Newsmagazine is proud to present our first issue of DVM Best Practices exclusively for the equine practitioner. This special issue is devoted to equine degenerative joint disease (DJD) and also explores the problems associated with treating the disease with bulk compounded drugs.

Dr. C. W. McIlwraith provides an overview on identifying and treating degenerative joint disease in horses.