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Meniscusletsels bij de hond worden bijna steeds in combinatie met een gescheurde voorste kruisband gezien. Telkens gaat het om de mediale meniscus. Erg manken of een plotse toename van manken kan wijzen op een meniscusletsel bij honden met een kruisbandprobleem. Ook persisterend of terugkerend manken na een kruisbandoperatie is indicatief voor een gescheurde meniscus. Met behulp van beeldvormingstechnieken kunnen meniscusletsels in beeld gebracht worden, of ook artroscopisch of tijdens kruisbandchirurgie vastgesteld worden. Meerdere chirurgische opties zijn beschreven om meniscusletsels te behandelen.

Background: Markers of kidney dysfunction and damage have potential to detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) in early stages. However, data on long-term variation of these markers in healthy dogs is lacking and is crucial for the interpretation of results. Hypothesis/Objectives: To determine temporal variations of serum cystatin C (sCysC) and urinary retinol-binding protein (uRBP), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), immunoglobulin G (uIgG), and C-reactive protein (uCRP) in healthy dogs. Animals: Eight clinically healthy adult Beagles were evaluated. Methods: Longitudinal observational study. Serum cystatin C was determined by particle-enhanced nephelometric immunoassay. Urinary retinol-binding protein, uNGAL, uIgG and uCRP were determined by ELISA and concentrations were indexed to urinary creatinine. Within- and between-dog variance components (VC) and within-dog coefficients of variation (CV) were determined from blood and urine collected at eight time points over 1.5 years. Results: Urinary C-reactive protein (uCRP) concentrations were consistently below the detection limit (5.28 ng/mL). Mean within-dog standard deviation for sCysC, uRBP/c, uNGAL/c and uIgG/c was 0.15 +/- 0.01 mg/L, 0.09 +/- 0.03 mg/g, 2.32 +/- 2.03 g/g and 12.47 +/- 10.98 mg/g, respectively. Within-dog CV for sCysC, uRBP/c, uNGAL/c and uIgG/c was 8.1%, 33.7%, 87.2% and 88.1%, respectively. Conclusions and clinical importance: Serum cystatin C, uRBP/c, uNGAL/c and uIgG/c exhibit a wide range of long-term within-dog variability. Researchers and veterinarians might need to take this into account when interpreting their results. To assess their diagnostic and predictive ability, future studies need to establish reference ranges for healthy dogs and dogs with CKD.

Objectives To describe and evaluate the accuracy, intra- and inter-observer variability of the laxity index (LI), used to quantify hip laxity on stress radiographs obtained with the Vezzoni-modified Badertscher distension device (VMBDD). Methods Stress radiographs of 10 dogs obtained with the VMBDD were measured three times by an experienced observer. Six participants with different backgrounds (two ECVDI residents, two PhD students, two veterinary assistants) followed a short presentation and performed subsequently the measurements four times in two separate sessions. The effect of self-learning, feedback and specialization on the accuracy of the measurements was assessed. Results While the intra- and inter-observer variability were in agreement with other studies, the results of the experienced observer indicated that the variability can be very low. Neither feedback nor self-learning improved the results. A high degree of experience in radiographic assessment was not necessary to perform the measurements correctly. Clinical Significance As the LI measurements were acceptable after a short presentation, they support the use of VMBDD for a complete and correct in-house evaluation of the hip joint by trained clinicians. However, we propose that, in the context of screening, measurements should be performed by a limited number of experienced examiners, to limit the impact of the inter-observer variability.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound may be helpful for detecting early renal microvascular damage and dysfunction in dogs. However, before this noninvasive imaging method can be tested as an early-stage screening tool in clinical patients, an improved understanding of long-term variation in healthy animals is needed. In this prospective, secondary, longitudinal, serial measurements study, variability of contrast-enhanced ultrasound renal perfusion parameters was described for eight healthy dogs, using seven time points and a period of 83 weeks. Dogs were sedated with butorphanol (0.4 mg/kg), and contrast-enhanced ultrasound of each kidney was performed after an intravenous bolus injection of a microbubble contrast agent (0.04 mL/kg). Time-intensity curves were created from regions-of-interest drawn in the renal cortex and medulla. Intensity-related parameters representing blood volume and time-related parameters representing blood velocity were determined. A random-effects model using restricted maximum likelihood was used to estimate variance components. Within-dog coefficient of variation was defined as the ratio of the standard deviation over the mean. Time-related parameters such as time-to-peak, rise and fall time had lowest within-dog variability. Intensity-related parameters such as peak enhancement, wash-in and wash-out area under the curve, total area under the curve, and wash-in and washout rates had high within-dog variability (coefficient of variation > 45%). Authors therefore recommend the use of time-related parameters for future studies of renal perfusion. Within-dog variability for bilateral kidney measurements was extremely low, therefore contrast-enhanced ultrasound may be particularly useful for detecting unilateral changes in renal perfusion. Future studies are needed to compare contrast-enhanced ultrasound findings in healthy dogs versus dogs with renal disease.

Objectives Comparison of PennHIP and a novel method to diagnose hip laxity, called the Vezzoni modified Badertscher distension device technique. Methods In a total of 10 dogs, it was first assessed whether the distraction index (DI) from the PennHIP evaluation center could be reproduced by two individual observers. In the next two steps, the DI measurements made by the individual observers and the PennHIP evaluation center were compared with the laxity index (LI) measured on the Vezzoni modified Badertscher distension device view. Finally, the interobserver agreement of the DI, LI and Norberg angle was assessed and compared with classification criteria. Results The results were similar for the first three comparisons: there was no evidence for bias, the relation between DI and LI was linear and the variability was small. A comparison of the interobserver agreement showed that the measurement variability for the NA was substantial, while the reproducibility for the DI and LI was equal. Clinical Significance While the standard ventrodorsal hip extended radiograph is most commonly used for diagnosis and screening of canine hip dysplasia, it lacks sensitivity to diagnose laxity. To improve the identification of hip joint laxity, distraction-based radiographic techniques are helpful. The Vezzoni modified Badertscher distension device technique allows for a reliable in-house evaluation of canine hip joint laxity.

Even though radiography is one of the most frequently used imaging techniques for orthopaedic disorders, it has been demonstrated that the interpretation can vary between assessors. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the intraobserver and interobserver agreement and the influence of level of expertise on the interpretation of radiographs of the stifle in dogs with and without cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR). Sixteen observers, divided in four groups according to their level of experience, evaluated 30 radiographs (15 cases with CCLR and 15 control stifles) twice. Each observer was asked to evaluate joint effusion, presence and location of degenerative joint disease, joint instability and whether CCLR was present or absent. Overall, intraobserver and interobserver agreement ranged from fair to almost perfect with a trend towards increased agreement for more experienced observers. Additionally, it was found that stifles that were classified with high agreement have either overt disease characteristics or no disease characteristics at all, in comparison to the ones that are classified with a low agreement. Overall, the agreement on radiographic interpretation of CCLR was high, which is important, as it is the basis of a correct diagnosis and treatment.