Search

Osteochondrosis (OC) is a focal disturbance of endochondral ossification due to a failure of blood supply to the epiphyseal growth cartilage. In dogs, OC most commonly affects the shoulder joint, followed by the elbow, tarsal, and stifle joints. The condition is associated with clinical signs such as lameness and pain and the prognosis varies depending on the affected joint. Most epidemiologic studies of OC in dogs were performed over 20 years ago, and updated estimates of disease incidence are lacking. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to provide population-based estimates of the incidence rate, cause-specific mortality rate, and age at diagnosis of appendicular OC (AOC, including OC of the shoulder, elbow, stifle, and tarsal joints) and stifle and tarsal OC separately, using data from Agria Djurförsäkring in Sweden (2011–2016). Further, the study aimed to evaluate the risk of OC in subgroups divided by breed and sex and describe previous, concurrent, and subsequent diagnoses of the affected joint in dogs with stifle or tarsal joint OC. The study population included just over 600,000 dogs, of which 685 were affected by AOC. Stifle joint OC (n = 113) was more common than tarsal joint OC (n = 80). The incidence rate of AOC was 3.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.49–4.07) cases per 10,000 dog-years at risk, while the incidence rate of stifle and joint tarsal OC was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.53–0.77) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.34–0.54) cases per 10,000 dog-years at risk, respectively. All breeds at increased risk of AOC were large or giant, and male dogs had an increased risk of AOC compared to female dogs (RR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.50–2.07, p < 0.001). The median age at first diagnosis during the study period was 0.74 (0.32–11.5) years for AOC, 2.62 (0.45–8.82) years for stifle joint OC, and 0.73 (0.35–7.35) years for tarsal joint OC. Of the dogs with stifle or tarsal joint OC, 30.2% and 15.0% had a previous diagnosis of stifle/tarsal joint pain or other unspecific clinical signs, respectively, and 13.8% of the dogs with stifle joint OC suffered subsequent cruciate ligament rupture. Osteochondrosis was the most common reason for euthanasia in the affected dogs. In total, 77 dogs were euthanised due to AOC during the study period. • There were 685 cases of appendicular osteochondrosis (AOC) in the study population. • Stifle joint OC was more common than tarsal joint OC. • All breeds at increased risk of AOC were large or giant. • The median age at first diagnosis of AOC was 0.74 years. • The risk of OC-related euthanasia varied with breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in veterinary medicine. There are various causes for joints developing OA, with some of them being well investigated, while others are still a matter of speculation. In this retrospective study we examined the prevalence of OA in the shoulder, elbow, hip and stifle joints in a clinic population of dogs older than 8 years, which were presented mostly due to orthopaedic complaints. Dogs were included in the study if one or more of the aforementioned joints was included in the radiographs. Radiographs were reviewed by three different observers and graded by severity. Prevalence of OA was 39.2%, 57.4%, 35.9% and 36.4% for the shoulder, elbow, hip and stifle, respectively. There was no correlation between higher grades of OA and weight as well as age, but significantly higher prevalence of OA in heavier groups when grouped for weight. Sex and castration status did not affect presence of OA. As most of the examined joints were free of OA, radiographic findings suggestive of OA should not be considered normal in senescent dogs. • Most examined joints were free of osteoarthritis (OA). • Most examined elbows showed radiographic signs of OA. • Heavier dogs showed more and higher grades of OA than lighter ones. • Of 126 examined joints in Dachshunds, 119 (91.3%) were found to be free of OA. • There was no difference in prevalence of OA for gender and castration status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]