If your young dog limps on its front leg, it could result from elbow dysplasia.
Elbow dysplasia in dogs is a skeletal condition that can be treated.
Still, owners need to be able to recognize and understand it so they can tackle it early before it becomes too challenging to treat.
What is Elbow Dysplasia?
Elbow dysplasia is the leading cause of lameness in young dogs’ forelimbs. It manifests as the growth of skeletal abnormalities in your pet’s elbow.
As dogs with elbow dysplasia grow and mature, the condition worsens, resulting in malformation and degeneration of the affected joint.
Sadly, the more the dog’s bone degenerates, the more painful the joint can get.
Elbow dysplasia is commonly seen in giant and large breed dogs, such as Golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, Newfoundlands, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Bearded Collies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and Chow Chows.
Symptoms
A dog with elbow dysplasia can have a noticeably reduced range of motion in the affected joint. It can also display signs of discomfort and pain upon joint flexion or extension.
Dogs affected by elbow dysplasia may tend to hold the affected part away from their body and experience intermittent or consistent lameness that could worsen when exercising.
They can also experience stiffness in the affected area when first getting up after resting. It’s not uncommon to see sudden episodes of stiffness in your dog’s limb, which is geriatric.
As the condition develops, there may also be a fluid buildup in the affected joint.
Your dog may also experience bone-on-bone grating caused by the wearing off of the cartilage.
Signs of elbow dysplasia in dogs
- Challenges with getting up
- Unwillingness to go on a walk or play
- Swollen joints
- Pain and stiffness upon flexion or extension of the joint
- Minimized range of motion in one or both elbows
Causes
Three bones comprise the elbow joint: the ulna, radius, and humerus. Four specific skeletal conditions relating to the elbow can cause the overall condition of elbow dysplasia.
One or more of these conditions can be present at the same time.
- Ununited Anconeal Process: This happens when a growth plate isn’t properly closed. This could lead to a detached piece of bone that can irritate the joint and cause degeneration.
- Fragmented Coronoid Process: This happens when a fragment of bone breaks off in the elbow joint. This irritates the lining of the joint, leading to cartilage wearing.
- Osteochondrosis Dissecans: This happens when a piece of cartilage becomes loose from the joint’s surface, causing pain and inflammation.
- Elbow Incongruency: This occurs when the joint’s bone structure is imperfect. This can cause the cartilage to wear away more quickly.
Diagnosing Elbow Dysplasia
You must immediately fix an appointment with your veterinarian if you suspect your pet is suffering from elbow dysplasia.
Your veterinarian would get a history and a physical examination, including close observations of your dog’s movement and radiographs.
Radiographs will provide images of the joint, conformational abnormalities, open growth plates, and anything irritating.
Usually, a more advanced examination may be needed for a definitive diagnosis. These tests may include an MRI or using a needle and syringe to draw out a fluid sample from the affected joint space.
The fluid can then be tested for infection inflammation that could further worsen your dog’s condition.
Treatment
Treating elbow dysplasia in dogs depends on how severe the condition is. Conservative medical options may be administered if the condition is mild. However, in the case where the condition is critical, surgery may be the best option.
A fiber-optic scope (arthroscopy) is commonly used to surgically enter and clean the joint for any pieces of cartilage, bone, and loose flaps.
A board-certified surgeon may adopt an open-joint approach rather than the arthroscopic method in fewer cases.
Managing the symptoms can be effective through the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Joint supplements like chondroitin/glucosamine (Cosequin, Dasuquin, Glycoflex, Vetri-Flex) and essential fatty acid supplements can lubricate the joint.
It can also be administered to reduce inflammation. Pain and swelling can also be lessened using integrative therapies, like a cold-therapy laser.
Your veterinarian may refer owners to Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners, where dogs with elbow dysplasia can have rehabilitative activities, such as underwater treadmills, swimming, and a wide range of motion exercises.
Ultimately, healthy exercise is very important for dogs with elbow dysplasia. Exercising your dog with elbow dysplasia may seem counter-intuitive, but it helps to balance out the proper amount of exercise to prevent weight gain and muscle atrophy.
Atrophied muscles and extra weight can exacerbate joint arthritis. Many dogs with elbow dysplasia react well to the therapies mentioned above and go on to live happy, healthy lives.
Your dog’s prognosis will depend on age, the severity of the joint condition, and overall health.
Are you a dog owner? Is your dog affected by elbow dysplasia? What measures have you taken to help your dog get better? Share with us in the comments below.
