Abstract
Ventrodorsal pelvic radiographs were made of 32 adult dogs under general anaesthesia. The hip joints were evaluated according to the severity of osteoarthritic changes graded as 0, 1, 2 or 3. The dogs were euthanased, the hip joints opened and the ligamentum capitis femoris dissected out in toto. The volume of each ligament was determined using a water displacement technique and the mean volume compared to the four radiographic grades of osteoarthritis. There was an inverse correlation (r = -0.75) between the mean volume of the ligamentum capitis femoris and the increasing severity of osteoarthritis as assessed by radiography. The results confirmed the crucial role of radiography in the clinical evaluation of hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis in the adult dog. Assessment of the volume of the ligamentum capitis femoris revealed that it is an important tool for research in canine hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis is an important orthopaedic disease in dogs and human beings
An intact ligamentum capitis femoris was present in 46 (71.9 %) and absent in 18 (28.1 %) of the hip joints examined in this study
There was no significant difference between the mean volume of the ligamentum capitis femoris in those hip joints that were normal and those with only mild osteoarthritis
Summary
Osteoarthritis is an important orthopaedic disease in dogs and human beings. The affected joint exhibits destruction of its articular cartilage, changes in the subchondral bone architecture, capsulitis and synovitis[11,20]. The disease occurs most frequently in the large, weight bearing joints of medium-sized to large dogs, but may affect any synovial joint. The best example of canine osteoarthritis is that occurring secondary to hip dysplasia[2]. Cant risk factors in 4 large-breed dogs, the risk of having osteoarthritis being 5 times greater in German shepherd dogs than in the other 3 breeds combined[24]. The probability of having osteoarthritis increases with age. Mechanical damage to the chondrocytes and synoviocytes causes these cells to release enzymes and cytokines that contribute to the progressive degeneration of the hyaline articular cartilage, as well as the synovial membrane[9,20]
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