Comparative Analysis of Vertical Forces in Dogs Affected with Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease and Tibial Plateau Angles Greater or Less than 25 Degrees.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to compare the peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) between dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease and a tibial plateau angle (TPA) greater or less than 25 degrees. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 18 dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease in which kinetic gait data were obtained with a pressure walkway system. Dogs were distributed in two groups: dogs with a TPA ≤ 25 degrees (n = 8) and dogs with a TPA > 25 degrees (n = 10). Mean PVF and VI in per cent of body weight (%BW) were compared between groups with an unpaired t-test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Mean PVF and VI for the cranial cruciate ligament disease limb were 14.39%BW and 3.57%BWs for dogs with a TPA >25 degrees and 14.44%BW and 3.47%BWs for dogs with a TPA ≤ 25 degrees. There was no significant difference in mean PVF and VI between the groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that there is no difference in kinetic data between dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease and a TPA greater or less than 25 degrees. Other factors such as body weight, time of injury or meniscal lesion could be more related to the magnitude of cranial cruciate ligament disease lameness.

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of lawsuits against veterinarians and correlation of potential risk factors with court decisions.

The increase in lawsuits against veterinarians based on recklessness, negligence and malpractice is a current trend since pets are increasingly viewed as part of the family, and legal action is sought if the owner is frustrated with the services rendered by the veterinarian. However, since scarce data exists on this issue, this study aims to quantify and qualify lawsuits filed against veterinarians in the state of São Paulo, Brazil to identify and correlate potential risk factors that may lead to conviction or acquittal of defendants. For this purpose, the methodology employed a search for lawsuits on the website of the São Paulo State Court of Justice, sorted by year; proceedings (summary or special civil court); plaintiff's claim (non-economic damages, economic damages, malpractice, negligence or recklessness); court decision (case granted or denied); reason for judgment (sufficient or insufficient evidence); reverse burden of proof (present or absent); type of evidence (deposition, documentary and expert testimony); value of damages claimed and awarded; location (greater São Paulo or inner state), and whether the lawsuit was filed against a veterinary clinic or hospital. These categories shed light, through bivariate and Poisson regression analyses, on the potential risk factors relative to court decisions. Results demonstrate that reverse burden of proof and insufficient evidence as the basis for judgment were, respectively, risk factors for conviction and acquittal of veterinary practitioners, and the number of lawsuits increased by 533 % over eight years.

Kinetic gait analysis in English Bulldogs.

BACKGROUND: Canine breed conformation may interfere with locomotion and may predispose to orthopedic disease. Bulldogs have a high incidence of orthopedic diseases such as hip dysplasia. Kinetic gait analysis provides an objective way to assess and analyze locomotion. The aim of this study was to study the vertical forces of English Bulldogs during walk using a pressure sensitive walkway. We hypothesize that Bulldogs affected by orthopedic diseases have decreased weight bearing and asymmetric locomotion in the limbs despite having mild to no sings during clinical examination. Thirty English Bulldogs were tested. Peak vertical force, vertical impulse, rate of loading, stance phase duration, symmetry index, goniometry and incidence of orthopedic diseases were recorded. RESULTS: Although none of the dogs showed signs of pain or discomfort upon manipulation of the hip joints, all dogs had radiographic evidences of hip dysplasia and lack of significant peak vertical force, vertical impulse and stance time differences. The dogs had a mean hind limb symmetry index of 19.8 ± 19.5% and rates of loading ranged from 1.0 to 3.1. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of evident decrease in weight bearing, subclinical lameness can be inferred. The examined dogs had a mean hind limb symmetry index of 19.8 ± 19.5%. Symmetry indices reported in dogs free from orthopedic diseases range from 0.3 to 9.6%. Given non-lame dogs are expected to have a symmetry index close to 0%, data from this study suggests that Bulldogs have gait dysfunctions, which translates into hind limb asymmetries and rate of loading was consistent with severe hip dysplasia despite no visible signs of gait dysfunction. Future studies comparing lame and non-lame Bulldogs are warranted.

Evaluation of vertical forces in the pads of Pitbulls with cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

BACKGROUND: Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) is one of the most important stifle injuries and a common cause of lameness in dogs. Our objective was to measure the vertical forces in the pads of Pitbulls with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) using a pressure sensitive walkway. A pressure sensitive walkway was used to collect vertical force data from the pads of 10 Pitbulls affected with unilateral CCLR. Ten healthy Pitbulls were included in the study as controls. Velocity varied between 1.3 and 1.6 m/s and acceleration was kept below ± 0.1 m/s2. Differences between groups and between pads in the same limb within groups were investigated using ANOVA and the Tukey test. The paired Student t-test was employed to assess gait symmetry (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Peak vertical forces (PVF) were lower in the affected limb, particularly in the metatarsal pad. Increased PVF values in the forelimb and the contralateral hind limb pads of affected dogs suggest a compensatory effect. CONCLUSIONS: A consistent pattern of vertical force distribution was observed in the pads of dogs with CCLR. These data are important for increased understanding of vertical force distribution in the limb of dogs with CCLR disease. Kinetic analysis using pressure sensitive walkways can be useful in follow-up assessment of surgically treated dogs regardless of the surgical technique employed.

Fratura proximal de tíbia após cirurgia extracapsular para correção de ruptura de ligamento cruzado cranial em cão / Tibial fracture caused by complications after an extracapsular suture for the repair of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in a dog

Ruptura de ligamento cruzado cranial (RLCCr) é a afecção ortopédica mais frequente no joelho de cães e a sutura fabelo-tibial é frequentemente utilizada na sua correção. Essa técnica pode estar associada com complicações incisionais, lesão tardia de menisco, edema associado ao material de sutura e infecção. O objetivo desta nota foi relatar a ocorrência de fratura proximal de tíbia em um cão, causada por complicação em sutura fabelo-tibial para correção de RLCCr. Um canino atendido em outro serviço foi submetido à osteossíntese com placa 2,0mm para correção de complicação em técnica extra-capsular, na qual houve fratura da tíbia na região do orifício criado para confecção da sutura fabelo-tibial. Houve falha dos implantes e a placa foi removida. A fratura foi estabilizada com fixador esquelético externo circular, sendo constatada, após 120 dias, consolidação.

Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) is one of the most common orthopedic diseases in dogs and extracapsular suture with nylon is often used for its correction. This technique may be associated with incisional complications, post-surgical meniscus injury, swelling associated with suture material and infection. The objective of this study is to report a tibial fracture in a dog, caused by complications after an extracapsular suture for the repair of CCLR. An adult dog, which suffered a tibial fracture after an extracapsular fixation for a CCLR, underwent surgery for the fixation of the fracture with a 2.0mm plate, by a referring veterinarian, but the implant failed. The plate was removed and the fracture was stabilized with a circular fixator. Bone consolidation was observed after 120 days.