Radiographic evaluation of joints in dogs with elbow dysplasia - clinical observations

The objective of the study was to present the results of radiographic evaluations of elbow joints in dogs with recognised elbow dysplasia. The research covered 40 dogs, and both elbow joints of each animal were examined and graded. In a dysplastic joint, one or a few conditions resulting in the displasia were assessed as well as a degree of degenerative joint disease. In addition, the incidence of other disorders of the skeletal system was considered. In the dysplastic joints, fragmentation of the medial coronoid process (in 88.7%), along with joint incongruity (in 71.8%) were most frequently observed. The lesions were manifested with relatively slight clinical signs. The dogs were usually brought for the clinical and radiographic examinations when the progression of arthritic changes reached the 2nd grade in at least one joint (50% of the animals examined). A possibility for early detection of elbow dysplasia, if some other diseases of the skeletal system did not occur, was 20% in the examined group of dogs.