Canine
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) OCD, Osteochondrosis, Osteochondritis Dissecans, Shoulder/Elbow/Stifle Dysplasia, Joint Mice
|
Canine
Osteochondrosis
|
|
Cartilage is the tissue, normally at the ends of long bones, which contributes to pain-free motion. Osteochondrosis is a congenital defect in normal joint cartilage development that leads to the development of a loose piece or flap of cartilage. This loose piece or flap can give rise to secondary degenerative joint disease. Secondary degenerative joint disease that develops as a result of osteochondrosis, generally occurs early in the dog's life as opposed to the "wear and tear" arthritis that many dogs experience later in life.
A generalized metabolic disease process disrupting the normal sequence of cartilage calcification and eventual ossification within endochondral growth areas. Osteochondrosis can affect multiple joints and metaphyseal growth areas within a single animal, but in the dog, the most common sites of disease are the shoulder, elbow, stifle or knee joint, and tarsus or hock in young dogs. Generally, osteochondrosis occurs in young, large to giant breeds, although it is also seen in mixed breeds. The most commonly affected breeds include the German shepherd, golden and Labrador retriever, rottweiler, Great Dane, Bernese mountain dog, and Saint Bernard.There are several types of osteochondrosis.
Conditions that affect the forelimbs include osteochondritis
dessicans (OCD) of the elbow or shoulder, fragmented coronoid process
(FCP), and ununited anconeal process (UAP). When the elbows are
affected, these conditions are often referred to as simply “elbow
dysplasia.” Osteochondrosis affecting the hind limbs is less common.
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) occurs at the surface of a joint when a thickened area of cartilage develops, loosely attached to the underlying bone. This thicker cartilage may crack and cause a flap of cartilage to break away. When this cartilage flap falls into a certain position, your pet’s discomfort will be minimal but, as it shifts position, pain and joint swelling become acute. OCD of the elbow and shoulder usually occurs between four and seven months of age. Breeds most commonly affected include the Labrador, golden retriever and (less frequently) the rottweiler.
Fragmented coronoid process (FCP) of the elbow joint is the most common and severe type of osteochondrosis, affecting a dog’s forelimbs. Two bones, the radius and the ulna, run the distance from your pet’s elbow to wrist. FCP results from either a) abnormal development of the cartilage in an area of the ulna known as the “coronoid process,” or b) abnormal length of the radius and ulna bones. Between four and six months of age, a small piece of the coronoid process may fragment inside the elbow leading to early onset secondary arthritis. (This usually develops between five and ten months of age.) Retrievers, Labradors, rottweilers and Bernese mountain dogs commonly experience FCP.
Ununited anconeal process (UAP) is a failure of the growth center of the “anconeal process” (located in your pet’s elbow joint), to unite properly with the ulna. This fusion should be completed by 16 to 24 weeks of age. The ununited anconeal process is a large piece of bone connected to the ulna by a strand of fibrous tissue. It causes joint instability which may lead to severe secondary degenerative arthritis. UAP disease has been reported in most large breeds, particularly German shepherds and St. Bernards. UAP has also been reported in breeds with short, curved legs such as the basset hound. Your pet may not exhibit signs of UAP until the secondary degenerative joint disease begins to make itself known.
OCD in the stifle (knee) joint Osteochondrosis in the stifle can be difficult to diagnose, as the lameness is frequently obscure and is often confused with the gait of canine hip dysplasia (CHD).
OCD in the hock (ankle) joint Affected pets are usually four to five months of age and exhibit slight lameness of the hind limbs. The ankle joints appear straight and swollen and are painful on movement. X-rays show cartilage and bone fragments and bone spurs due to secondary degenerative joint disease.
Signs of possible osteochondrosis (OCD)The symptoms of
osteochondrosis (OCD) depend on where the problem is located. The dog
may try to compensate for lameness by restricting the movement of the
affected joint. For example, if the elbow is affected, your pet may
swing his/her leg outward in a circular motion to avoid bending the
elbow. Although osteochondrosis (OCD) usually affects both sides (i.e.
left and right elbows), one leg is often worse than the other. As a
result, the dog may take extra weight on the better foreleg, resulting
in decreased muscle development in the other foreleg.
Treatments
The treatment for osteochondrosis is geared towards inhibiting further
breakdown of the hip joint and decreasing the pain your pet is
experiencing. Various medical and surgical treatments are available
today that can ease your dog's discomfort and restore mobility. The
type of treatment depends upon several factors, such as the age of your
dog, the severity of the problem and financial considerations.
Management of osteochondrosis (OCD) usually consists of exercise
restriction, body weight management and symptomatic pain management
with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Restricting the amount and intensity of a puppy's activity has been shown to reduce the incidence of osteochondrosis (OCD). Flaps of cartilage that have not yet broken away from their underlying bone may heal back if the affected joint use is not too intense or prolonged. All large breed puppies should participate in only regular short walks until they have finished growing; this recommendation is particularly important if the dog already has osteochondrosis. Dogs with osteochondrosis (OCD) should be restricted to the leash and given a maximum of three short (10 - 15 minute) walks per day.
Dietary
Restriction
Overfeeding contributes significantly to the development of many
orthopedic conditions in dogs, including osteochondrosis (OCD). If your
dog has osteochondrosis (OCD), you should discontinue administration of
any vitamin or mineral supplements unless specified by your
veterinarian. (Consult your veterinarian about an appropriate dog food
to give your pet.) Many dogs that develop osteochondrosis (OCD) are the
healthiest-looking, largest and fastest growing in their litter; these
are the dogs that managed to push out the litter mates from the feeding
bowl and are growing too rapidly for the strength of their physical
structure. Reduce your dog's total calorie intake to that recommended
by the feed company and your veterinarian.
Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory medications
Ideally, these should only be used for the short term, when necessary
to encourage movement. Although your pet may respond quickly to
anti-inflammatories, this is usually because they are quelling pain,
and not because the condition itself is improving. In most cases these
medications act simply as painkillers, and should only be used in
addition to lifestyle modifications including weight control and good
exercise management.
There is some concern that heat may worsen symptoms in an already inflamed joint so monitor your pet’s reaction carefully following application of heat. Applying ice or cold packs appears to decrease inflammation.
Surgery
