A blinded, placebo-controlled study on the clinical effects of vitamin E supplementation in dogs with osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin E has a positive effect in the management of osteoarthritis in humans, and in a previous study of dogs. It has been suggested to decrease C-reactive protein concentrations and liver enzyme activities in humans and animals. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of vitamin E supplementation on lameness, pain, pain medication requirement, clinical pathology variables, and quality of life in large-breed dogs with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. ANIMALS: Fifty-seven client-owned dogs with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. METHODS: Dogs received either vitamin E or placebo for 90 days in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, prospective clinical trial. Clinical lameness scores, pain medication requirements, and owner questionnaires were used to assess response to treatment every 30 days. Blood samples were collected at enrollment and at the end of the study period. RESULTS: Vitamin E administration did not improve pain, lameness, or quality of life as assessed by owners and veterinarians. Vitamin E supplementation did not decrease the requirement for rescue pain relief. No changes in clinical pathology variables were observed after 90 days of vitamin E supplementation. Body weight was negatively associated with the lameness scores and requirement for rescue pain relief. CONCLUSION: Vitamin E supplementation did not have any observable positive effects in dogs with naturally occurring osteoarthritis.

Anconeus muscle injury in a juvenile greyhound.

OBJECTIVE: To report anconeus muscle injury in a greyhound. ANIMAL: One 11-month-old female greyhound. STUDY DESIGN: Case report METHODS: The dog presented with a 6-week history of mild left foreleg lameness. Moderate pain was noted by palpation over the proximolateral ulna and distolateral humerus and by maximal elbow flexion. A laminar periosteal reaction on the caudodistal humerus was present on radiographs. At ultrasonic examination, disorganization of anconeus muscle fibers, and focal mixed echogenicity were noted. Precontrast and postcontrast computed tomography (CT) revealed a thin rim of periosteal new bone on the caudodistal humerus as well as heterogeneous contrast enhancement of soft tissue immediately caudal to the distal humerus. An unrelated greyhound cadaver dissection confirmed only the anconeus muscle attached to the site of noted periosteal reaction. A partial tear of the anconeus muscle was diagnosed. Treatment consisted of 4 weeks of oral meloxicam. Confinement space and exercise were incrementally increased over 14 weeks. RESULTS: Muscle healing was confirmed by ultrasonography and CT. The dog was able to have a successful racing career spanning 2 years with no lameness attributable to the previous anconeus muscle injury and retired for unrelated reasons. CONCLUSION: Radiography and ultrasonography helped diagnose anconeal muscle injury, and conservative management led to full return to function. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Clinicians should include anconeus muscle injury as a differential diagnosis in dogs with lameness and pain over the proximolateral ulna or distolateral humerus or on elbow flexion.

Precision of spinal radiographs as a screening test for intervertebral disc calcification in Dachshunds.

Among dog breeds, the Dachshund has the highest lifetime incidence of intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Intervertebral disc (IVD) calcification is an indicator of severe degeneration that predisposes to disc herniation. IVDD is heritable in Dachshunds, and in some countries, breeding candidates are screened to reduce IVDD occurrence by selecting dogs according to their score of radiographically detectable intervertebral disc calcification (RDIDC) and excluding dogs with ≥5 RDIDCs from breeding. This study evaluated the precision of scoring spinal radiographs for IVD calcification and subsequent classification of Dachshund dogs for breeding based on their RDIDC score. Digital radiographs of the spine were obtained in 19 clinically healthy, young adult Dachshunds, and scored for RDIDC independently by five scorers with varying levels of experience, three times each. Within scorer (repeatability) and between scorer (reproducibility) variability was estimated both at the individual IVD level and at the whole dog level for breeding classification purposes. At the IVD level, some degree of scorer effect was supported by the pairwise repeatability (92.3%; 95% CI: 88.8-94.7%) being marginally higher than the reproducibility (89.2%; 95% CI: 85.7-91.8%). Scorer-specific patterns confirmed the presence of scorer subjectivity. Repeatability significantly increased with scorer experience but the reproducibility did not. RDIDC scoring repeatability and reproducibility substantially decreased at the cervicothoracic spine region, likely due to anatomical superimpositions. At the dog level, a breeding classification could be repeated by the same scorer for 83.6% (95% CI: 73.8-90.2%) of the dogs, and was reproduced between two scorers for 80.2% (95% CI: 66.6-89.1%) of the dogs. The repeatability of breeding classification also seemed to increase with scorer experience but not the reproducibility. Overall, RDIDC scoring revealed some degree of inconsistency explained by scorer subjectivity and inexperience, and anatomical superimpositions. Scorer training and experience is strongly recommended to improve test precision and ensure appropriate classification of Dachshunds for breeding.