Distal Extremities

Authors: Beck Ringdahl-Mayland, Douglas H Thamm, Tiffany W Martin

Objective: To report the survival times in dogs that received a standardized palliative-intent radiation therapy (RT) protocol for the treatment of canine appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA), alone or in combination with bisphosphonates (BPs), and to determine whether the addition of BPs affects survival. A secondary objective was to identify prognostic features that may influence outcome in dogs undergoing treatment.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Authors: Steven R Magidenko, Nathan W Peterson, Guido Pisano, Nicole J Buote

Objective: To evaluate the indications for, complications of, and surgical outcomes of dogs and cats that were treated with double limb amputations.

Animals: 14 dogs and 4 cats that underwent double limb amputations.

Authors: L Chau, L Wilson

Aim: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcome of pes varus deformity correction in dachshunds managed with acute medial opening wedge osteotomy of the distal tibia and stabilised with a mini hybrid external skeletal fixator (HESF).

Authors: Alessandro Piras, Kenneth A Bruecker

Fractures and ligamentous injuries of the front paw are common in small animals and usually result from direct trauma, such as vehicular accident, collision with a stationary object, falls from a height, or entrapment of the paw with leverage (eg, stepping in a hole while running).

Metacarpal and phalangeal fractures may be associated with concurrent ligamentous injury. Tendon and paw injuries are generally associated with direct traumatic etiologies, such as laceration.

Authors: Hernon T, Langley-Hobbs SJ

Case summary: A 9-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was referred for assessment of a chronic non-weightbearing left forelimb lameness that had an acute onset following a suspected cat bite to the distal limb 4 weeks previously. There was minimal improvement following conservative management. On examination there was discomfort on palpation of the left palmar metacarpal region. An orthopaedic examination performed under sedation identified a moderate effusion of the left fourth metacarpophalangeal joint.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and report outcomes after lateral translation of the manus for limb-sparing management of distal radial osteosarcoma in dogs.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series.

STUDY POPULATION: Eighteen client-owned dogs.

BACKGROUND: Lameness can be multifactorial and may result from the accumulation of multiple seemingly unrelated causes. The identification of factors associated with lameness could be one method to decrease incidence of lameness and prolong the equine athlete's competitive life.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if there is an association between hoof balance in the sagittal plane and hindlimb lameness.

STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study.

OBJECTIVE To describe clinical use of a locking compression plate (LCP) for proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) arthrodesis in horses and compare outcomes for horses that underwent the procedure as treatment for fracture of the middle phalanx (P2) versus other causes.

DESIGN Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS 29 client-owned horses.

OBJECTIVE: To assess fracture gap reduction and stability of linear vs triangular 4.5-mm lag screw repair of experimental, uniarticular, and complete forelimb proximal phalanx (P1) fractures.

STUDY DESIGN: Experimental.

SAMPLE POPULATION: Fourteen equine cadaver limbs/horses.

Osteochondrosis is a common developmental orthopedic disease characterized by a failure of endochondral ossification. Standardbred horses are recognized as being predisposed to tarsal osteochondrosis. Prior heritability estimates for tarsal osteochondrosis in European Standardbreds and related trotting breeds have been based on pedigree data and range from 17-29%.