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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]

Objective: Reduced muscle function, causing greater knee joint load, is a potentially modifiable risk factor of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Exercise is an important treatment of knee OA, but the effect on joint load has not been determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise on knee adduction moment during one-leg rise and gait.Design: Patients below age 65 with early signs of radiographic knee OA, from a population-based cohort on OA development, were invited to participate in the study. They defined their most symptomatic knee as the index knee. Knee adduction moment during one-leg rise from a stool (48cm), and during gait was assessed using a three-dimensional motion analysis system, before and after eight weeks of supervised exercise.Results: Thirteen patients, seven women, mean age 54.5, 12/13 with Kellgren and Lawrence grade I or II, took part in the study. Peak knee adduction moment during one-leg rise was reduced by 0.08 (95% CI 0.01;0.16) Nm/kg, or 14%, for the index knee, and 0.05 (95% CI -0.04;0.14), or 8% for the opposite knee after eight weeks. The reductions in peak adduction moment during gait were smaller and not significant.Conclusions: This study indicates that peak knee adduction moment could be reduced by supervised, individualized exercise in middle-aged patients presenting early signs of knee osteoarthritis, suggesting further investigation of this area. Peak adduction moment during one-leg rise seems to be more sensitive to deviations and change than peak adduction moment during gait in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]