Thoracic Limb Lameness Jason Eisele, DVM, CCRP, DACVS
Difficulties with Thoracic Limb Lameness Can be difficult to know which limb is affected Owners often do not know which limb Patient is rarely non-weight bearing in the limb Often no pain on palpation of the limb Seen less frequently than pelvic limb lameness Less experience with diagnosing cause of lameness Complex joints Elbow > shoulder Soft tissue, bone and cartilage are all possible sources of lameness Many different causes for lameness which can be very different as the patient ages
Signalment Large breeds most common But all dog sizes can be affected Ages Skeletally Immature Skeletally mature Older/ Geriatric Signalment
Gait analysis Head bob Down on sound External rotation and/or lateral limb placement during stance Palpation Digits to neck All joints, bones, soft tissue Effusion Pain Crepitus/ Decreased ROM Heat Fever? Physical Exam
Fractures Elbow dysplasia Shoulder Osteochondrosis Panosteitis Septic Arthritis Flexural carpal deformity Young Dogs
Fractures
Flexural Carpal Deformity Less than 6 months of age Rescued dogs that may not have received proper nutrition or activity Treatment = proper nutrition and activity Do Not Splint
Panosteitis
Septic Arthritis
Elbow Dysplasia A complex of developmental abnormalities of the elbow, including UAP, FMCP, OC, and elbow incongruity. Proposed causes: - genetics - nutritional excesses or deficiencies - growth disturbances - trauma
Elbow Incongruity Normal Abnormal (Incongruent)
Fragmented Medial Coronoid Process (FMCP) Clinical signs: 4-7 months Bilateral 50-90% Radiography for diagnosis? - lack of visualization/abnormal contour MCP - subtrochlear sclerosis proximal ulna - periarticular osteophytes - subluxation or joint incongruity
FMCP - Radiographs
FMCP - Radiographs
Other Imaging/Diagnostics Arthroscopy allows visualization and treatment CT
Arthroscopy
FMCP - Radiographs
Arthroscopy
Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP Separate ossification center in large breeds Bone union between 15-20 weeks Definition: failure of fusion beyond 20 weeks Pathophysiology? - form of OCD - joint incongruity - genetics (G.Shep)
Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP) Clinical signs between 4-12 months Progressive lameness Bilateral reports 11-47% Flexed mediolateral rads Surgical options - Excision - Lag screw fixation - Ulnar ostectomy - Lag screw + ulnar ostectomy
UAP arthroscopy
UAP surgical treatment
Shoulder Osteochondrosis Site Caudal Humeral Head Diagnosis Radiography Arthroscopy Treatment Arthroscopy Arthrotomy Prognoisis Good Clinical presentation Age of onset: 5-6 months Mild to moderate lameness Predominantly large breed dogs Pain on extension of shoulder
OC v OCD Normal Abnormal OC OCD
Shoulder OC
Normal Shoulder Scope
Shoulder Osteochondrosis
Skeletally Mature dogs Elbow dysplasia Medial Shoulder Instability Biceps Tenosynovitis Supraspinatus tendionopathy/ mineralization Immune-Mediated Arthropathy
Medial Shoulder Instability
Abduction Angle
Shoulder MRI
Shoulder Restraint
Medial Shoulder Instability
Biceps Tenosynovitis Supraspinatus Tendonitis (inflammation) Tendon strains Mild (grade 1) Moderate (grade 2) Complete (grade 3) Supraspinatus involvement
Tendon Mineralization
Biceps Tendon Release
Immune-Mediated Polyarthropathy
Older Dogs Osteoarthritis Rarely primary OA in dogs Secondary to elbow dysplasia Secondary to shoulder instability Biceps tenosynovitis Previous trauma Neoplasia Bone Nerve sheath tumor Soft tissue Immune-mediated polyarthropathy Luxation of the femoral head during adduction of the femur Medial Shoulder instability
Elbow Osteoarthritis
Sever Elbow Osteoarthritis
Treatment Non-surgical treatment recommended NSAIDs Weight loss Joint Diets Intraarticular injections PRP Hyaluronic acid (HA) Steroids Activity/ PT INTERLEUKIN-1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST PROTEIN (IRAP)
OA treatment
Physical Rehabilitation
Neoplasia
Neoplasia
Other Possibilities
Summary Thoracic limb lameness can be mild The source of the lameness can be difficult to determine Shoulder v elbow Lameness may be bilateral and shifting in side Prognosis varies Shoulder OCD good Elbow dysplasia - fair
Questions/ Comments?