Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to increase knowledge regarding long-term prognosis of mild to moderate elbow dysplasia (ED) using a canine orthopedic index.Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study.Sample Population: Sixty dogs randomly selected from each of five different breeds and three ED groups: ED0 (control), ED1, and ED2, based on the Kennel Club's screening results. The total number of selected dogs was 900 (60*5*3).Methods: Questionnaires were administered to owners by telephone interview. Bayesian network modeling was used to assess the relation between ED grade, treatment options, dog demographics, and quality-of-life indicators.Results: Seven hundred sixty-five questionnaires were collected (85% response rate), of which 61 concerned dogs euthanized due to osteoarthritis. There was no direct association between ED grade and owner's perceived quality of life, but ED1 and ED2 dogs were more likely to receive veterinary care and subsequent NSAID treatment compared to ED0 dogs. A significant association was found between the occurrence of euthanasia due to orthopedic disease and ED scores 1 and 2 in the sample (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The degree of osteoarthritis was not directly associated with the canine orthopedic index, except for ED2 and lameness score. It can be speculated that owners who paid closer attention to orthopedic symptoms and perceived them as impairing their dogs' lives were also more likely to seek veterinary care and get treatment, irrespective of the ED grading.Impact: ED1-graded dogs had a lower risk than might be expected to develop visible clinical symptoms and showed a similar quality of life as dogs with ED0. ED2-graded dogs were more likely than ED0-graded dogs to have their lives impaired by lameness, according to the owners' perception.
Highlights
Lameness is one of the most common reasons for seeking veterinary care, and elbow dysplasia (ED) is the most common cause of forelimb lameness in young large- and giant-breed dogs [1]
60 dogs from each breed were randomly selected by computer from the Swedish Kennel Club database for each of the following ED groups—ED0, ED1, and ED2—based on a radiographic evaluation that occurred within a 4-year period from January 2011 and January 2015 (Table 1)
Data were collected for 765 dogs, whose owners were interviewed between January and December 2017
Summary
Lameness is one of the most common reasons for seeking veterinary care, and elbow dysplasia (ED) is the most common cause of forelimb lameness in young large- and giant-breed dogs [1]. Many reports have been published regarding surgical and medical treatment for different ED conditions in dogs [1, 8,9,10,11,12]. Despite surgical or medical intervention, ED will inevitably result in progressive osteoarthritis (OA) in the long term, leading to pain and loss of function of the joint [13]. Young mature dogs from breeds at risk of developing ED are radiographically evaluated at 12 months or older in one flexed lateral projection of the elbow. The aim of the screening is to register any signs of OA, without focusing on the underlying cause of the OA [14]
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