Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is a degenerative joint condition as a result of abnormal skeletal growth and is the most common cause of forelimb lameness in young and growing dogs.
The elbow is what is known as a hinge joint and is made up of three bones the humerus, ulnar, and radius. These three bones form three separate joints humeroulnar joint, the humeroradial joint, and the radioulnar joint, which all come together and forms the elbow.
In a healthy elbow these joints and bones fit together perfectly and are cushioned by cartilage making movement smooth, easy and pain free.
In a dysplastic elbow the bones and joints do not fit together properly due to malformed, too short, or too long bones, causing friction and unnecessary wear and tear to the cartilage resulting in painful movement and inflammation.
There are several separate conditions relating to the elbow that make up the overall condition known as elbow dysplasia and dogs can have one or multiple of these conditions.
Elbow dysplasia affects both elbows in up to 80% of patients.
As the dog grows and matures the condition worsens, which is why it is so important to get a diagnosis as soon as you notice you dog is lame or limping. The more the joint degenerates, the worse the condition gets and the more painful it is for the dog.
There are several theories for the cause of elbow dysplasia such as genetics, defects in cartilage growth, trauma, and diet to name a few but the exact cause still remains unclear.
Some of the more common symptoms of elbow dysplasia are:
Decrease of ROM.
Signs of pain or discomfort with flexion and extension.
Intermittent or persistent limp/ lameness.
Lameness becomes worse after exercise.
Stiffness in the morning.
Fluid build-up.
Audible grating sound as the cartilage wears away.
Reluctance to play/exercise.
Once the elbow joint has been damaged inflammation and further cartilage damage occurs. Ultimately this causes progressive arthritis of the elbow joint leading to pain and loss of function.
Most dogs will start to show symptoms of elbow dysplasia when they are about 5-18 months old, if the elbow dysplasia is mild symptoms may go unnoticed or not show up until later in life once they have developed arthritis in their elbow/s.
Elbow dysplasia is mostly seen in large and giant breed dogs. Breeds most susceptible to elbow dysplasia are:
German shepherds
Rottweilers
Newfoundland's
Bernese mountain dogs
Golden Retrievers
Labrador Retrievers
But it can occur in any dog and in mixed breed dogs too.
If the elbow dysplasia is severe surgical treatment may be required.
However often elbow dysplasia can be treated with conservative methods working together with your vet and pet care specialists to find the right combination of medications, supplements, body work therapy and exercise that best fits your dog.
Symptoms can be managed with pain relief medications and joint supplements such as glucosamine and essential fatty acids.
Cold laser or Red Light Therapy have also been proven to help with the pain and inflammation associated with elbow dysplasia and these treatments have little to no negative side effects.
Hydrotherapy such as swimming (in a warm hydrotherapy pool) or using an underwater treadmill are also helpful when treating elbow dysplasia to improve joint range of motion and build muscle strength.
No two dogs are the same and there is no one size fits all plan for treating dogs with elbow dysplasia the best option is to get it diagnosed early and work with your vet to find what works best for you and your dog.