Elbow dysplasia in dogs

Abstract

Elbow dysplasia in the dog is one of the most frequent orthopaedic pathologies in small animal clinical practice. This disease represents a relevant cause of thoracic limb lameness, either unilateral or bilateral, especially in growing animals. It is a bone disorder of polygenic origin and multifactorial nature, characterised by an abnormal development of the elbow joint. Among the main predisposing factors associated with its occurrence are genetic predisposition determined by race, inadequate nutrition, excess body weight, intense physical exercise and accelerated growth rate. Clinically, the disease presents in four main forms: fragmentation of the medial coronoid process (FPCM), non-union of the anconeal process (NUPA), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and elbow joint incongruity (IC). These lesions can occur in isolation or concomitantly, and in most cases lead to the progressive development of osteoarthrosis. A literature review will be carried out focusing on the analysis of clinical cases, analysing patterns that facilitate early detection of elbow dysplasia.