Cranial cruciate ligament disease is perceived to be prevalent and is misunderstood in field trial sport.

Abstract

Cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) is the most prevalent orthopedic problem in canines, affecting 3% to 5% of dogs, causing stifle instability, mobility dysfunction, and pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the American Kennel Club field trial community's knowledge of CCLD and estimate its perceived prevalence within this population. 401 field trial participants responded, with 701 field trial canines reported. A survey instrument was emailed to a population of Retriever field trial participants to collect information on perceptions and experience with CCLD and current canine participants. Analyses included descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression, and χ2 tests (significant at P < .05). The majority of respondents appropriately identified the connection between genetics and CCLD (69%). There was under-recognition (6%) of the degenerative nature of the disease, with 61% inappropriately identifying trauma as the major cause. Respondents also indicated that a CCLD diagnosis in a dog's sibling or offspring affected their breeding decisions less than a diagnosis in their parents, indicating a misunderstanding of genetics. More than half of respondents indicated prior experiences with CCLD. The reported occurrence of CCLD was found to be 12% (72/610) in field trial Labrador Retrievers. There is a lack of knowledge in the field trial community regarding CCLD. This population showed a higher owner-perceived occurrence of CCLD compared to data collected from medical records. Further investigation is warranted to validate the true prevalence of CCLD in field trial Retrievers.