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Osteochondrosis (osteochondritis dissecans, OCD)

General Information

Osteochondrosis is a disease of the cartilage of the shoulder, elbow, hock or knee joints of young, fast-growing, large-breed dogs. Lameness first appears at 6-9 months of age and may persist for several weeks or months. Lameness may also come and go over a period of several weeks. Males appear to be more commonly affected. It is beleived that limiting the rate of growth of these rapidly growing breeds helps reduce the likelyhood of occurance. Some dog food companies make special foods for large breed puppies that are designed to help prevent excessively rapid growth. Another technique is simply feeding fixed meals 2 times daily rather than allowing unlimited access to food. Keeping a large breed dog lean (not skinny) during growth is probably helpful.

While the exact cause is unknown, the condition begins as abnormal development of the deep layers of joint cartilage. As the condition progresses, a small piece of cartilage may become detached from the underlying bone.

Diagnosis is by carefully evaluating the medical history and performing a thorough physical and x-ray examinations.

While many animals respond to rest and medication, some require surgery to remove diseased fragments of cartilage. Complete recovery is expected in most cases.

Important Points in Treatment

1. One or more follow-up x-ray examinations may be necessary to evaluate your pet's healing.

2. Diet: Ordinarily no special diet is required. However, note the comments above concerning prevention of OCD.

3. Exercise: Severely restrict exercise for ____ weeks, followed by limited exercise for ____ weeks. Gradually resume normal exercise over a 4-week period.

4. Surgical patients: Follow the instructions checked.

____Check the incision daily. Report any abnormalities to the doctor.

____Keep your pet on firm, padded bedding during recovery.

____Your pet will be evaluated for suture removal on_________________________________.

____Follow-up radiographs (x-rays) will be taken on_________________________________.

Notify the Doctor if Any of the Following Occur:

* The incision is swollen, red or draining.

* Your dog is feverish or depressed, or refuses to eat.

* Your dog vomits.

* Your dog develops lameness in another leg.

Understanding Your Pet's Medical Diagnosis

Osteochondrosis(OC) and Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

What is osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans?

Osteochondrosis (OC) is a disturbance in the way cartilage grows that results in excessively thick "slabs" of cartilage that are susceptible to injury. Cracks in the thickened cartilage slab eventually lead to the development of a loose cartilage flap. This loose cartilage is termed an osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion. The piece of cartilage irritates the affected joint and results in pain and lameness. Joints that are commonly affected by this condition are: shoulder, elbow, knee (stifle), and ankle (hock).

What causes osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans?

Osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans are considered heritable traits that are genetically acquired from the parents of the affected dog. Dogs that inherit this tendency will have a higher risk of severe disease if they are fed high calorie diets that promote rapid growth, or diets with excessive levels of calcium.

What are signs of osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans?

Clinical signs are related to the affected joints and the development of arthritis. OC alone generally does not cause clinically evident soreness or lameness. If OC progresses to OCD, then you and your veterinarian will start to note clinical signs, which may include:

• A sudden or gradual onset of lameness affecting one or more legs in a dog between 4 and 7 months old
• Lameness becomes worse after exercise
• A history of lameness lasting several weeks to many months in duration
• The lameness is weight-bearing (in contrast to holding the leg up while walking)
• Lameness may be slight, moderate, or severe
• Pain can usually be produced during the veterinary examination by manipulating the involved joint
• A build up of fluid in the joint (joint effusion) with joint swelling (capsular distention) is common with OCD of the elbow, stifle, and hock
• Lameness that has been present for some time causes muscle wasting (atrophy) of the affected leg

How are osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans diagnosed?

Your veterinarian may suspect this condition after obtaining your history report and fully examining your pet. Radiographs (X-rays) may show changes that are typical of either OC or OCD. Your veterinarian must determine the difference, since OC does not cause clinical signs and may not require treatment. Often, the physical examination is all that is needed to differentiate the two conditions. Occasionally, additional radiographs are taken after a dye is injected into the joint (a positive contrast image). Microscopic examination of a sample of joint fluid may be required to confirm the diagnosis. Examination of the inside of the joint with an arthroscope is another diagnostic method that your veterinarian may recommend. This examination is a minimally invasive surgical technique that is useful not only for obtaining a definite diagnosis, but also as a potential treatment, since your veterinarian may be able to remove loose cartilage fragments while checking the joint.

How are osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans treated?

• Osteochondrosis (OC) is a nonsurgical condition. Suspected OC lesions should be monitored until the dog's skeleton has matured, since it may progress to OCD as the dog continues to grow
• Medical treatment consists of anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers that provide relief from the irritation within the affected joint. However, if a loose cartilage flap is present, medication alone will not cause it to heal back onto the joint surface
• Surgery is indicated for all OCD lesions in the shoulder joint and in the elbow joint. Pain and lameness in a dog with radiographic (X-ray) changes in the shoulder indicate the need for exploratory surgery. Surgical exploration of the elbow also allows assessment of the joint for other conditions commonly found along with this condition
• Surgery is recommended for OCD lesions in the knee joint (stifle) and in the ankle (hock), though it is somewhat controversial because dogs develop arthritis even after surgery. Your veterinarian will discuss the pros and cons of the surgical and medical treatment options

What is the prognosis for animals with osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans?

• Animals with disorders in the shoulder joint have a good to excellent prognosis for return to full function. The potential for arthritis development is minimal.
• Animals with disorders in the elbow, knee (stifle), and ankle (hock) joints have a fair to guarded prognosis. Several factors influencing outcome include size of lesion (most important), presence of arthritis, and age at time of diagnosis and treatment. Arthritis tends to progress in spite of surgery.
  
  
  The information on this page was obtained from the site www.vetmedcenter.com