Orthopaedic Treatment of Animals

The Comparative Orthopaedics Program is focused on improving fundamental understanding and treatment of several important orthopedic diseases of dogs and horses.  As part of a campus-wide comparative orthopedic research program, our research benefits both animals and humans.  Studies conducted by the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory occur in collaboration with faculty from the UW Medical School Sports Medicine Program.

Cranial Cruciate Rupture in Dogs.

Cranial cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture causes 20% of all lameness in dogs. Surgery for cruciate rupture treats the end-stage disease; dogs continue to have a mild but persistant lameness, even after TPLO surgery.  About 95% of cruciate ruptures in the dog are degenerative and are not a consequence of accidental injury.

With Dr. Peter Muir as principal investigator, our laboratory has determined that degenerative ACL rupture is a type of rheumatic disease.  Development of persistent joint inflammation and progressive joint degradation leads to gradual pathological ACL rupture.  We are currently studying the mechanisms that lead to development of chronic joint inflammation in this condition.  Our long-term goal is to develop a new medical therapy that targets key pathways and leads to a blocking of the progressive joint degradation that precedes degenerative ACL rupture.  Successful treatment of dogs with early disease and stable knees should prevent the need for knee surgery.

Condular Stress Fracture in Racing Thoroughbreds

Pathological stress or fatigue fractures are a common and important condition that affects racehorses, racing grayhounds, military recruits, human athletes and humans with osteoporosis.

With Dr. Peter Muir as principal investigator, the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory has shown that a stress fracture mechanism causes condylar fracture in Thoroughbred racehorses; such pathological fractures precede a fall at the racetrack.  With fundamental understanding of why bone adaptation to training and racing fails to protect the skeleton from fracture, there is the promise of new therapies that improve safety margins in the skeleton of racehorses and reduce the risk of catastrophic injury necessitating humane euthanasia at the racetrack.

Teaching in the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory

The Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory has been intimately involved in teaching veterinary medical students the fundamentals of orthopedic medicine and surgery. The laboratory also contributes to the training of veterinary surgery residents to successfully become board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons as surgical specialists. The laboratory has also provided mentored teaching to pre- and post-doctoral students in comparative orthopedic studies. Members of the laboratory also provide updates to veterinarians in private practice.

 

The Care of Orthopaedic Patients in the Clinic

Surgical Treatment
Diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment, and follow-up care is accomplished through a team effort by board-certified small animal and large animal surgeons.  Every patient seen at the VMTH is evaluated by a board-certified veterinary surgeon, a surgical resident and a fourth year veterinary student.

Radiography
Advanced imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facilitate diagnosis of lameness.

For more information about the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory and team, visit our website!

The Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory

Augmented Fracture Healing
Delayed fracture healing is an important problem in both veterinary and human orthopedic surgery.  With Dr. Mark Markel as principal investigator, the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory has conducted research that has shown the effectiveness of recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins as a minimally invasive treatment in dogs and horses to augment the healing of severe fractures, decreasing the risk of a major complication with surgical fracture repair.

Success Stories

• New diagnostic testing for dogs with inflammatory knee arthritis and ACL degeneration.
• Clinical trials for the medical treatment of dogs with inflammatory knee arthritis/degenerative ACL rupture

Canine Shoulder Injury

The canine shoulder is subject to both traumatic injuries and injuries that result from chonic overuse. Currently, the diagnosis of these injuries is through the use of standard radiographic images. With Dr. Sue Schaefer as principal investigator, the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory is evaluating the effectiveness of MR imaging (MRI) in the identification of tendon and ligament injuries in the dog shoulder.  We have developed an atlas of the normal structures seen in the dog’s shoulder with MRI and have begun to directly apply this information to our clinical cases.  

Figure: Gross pathological section from a normal cadaver and MRI arthrogram of a clinical patient  Both shoulders are seen in the cranial-caudal plane.  The MR image is a T1-weighted fat saturation sequence. 1. Scapula, 2. Subscapularis tendon, 3. Medial glenohumeral ligament,  4. Humeral head,  5. Lateral glenohumeral ligament, 6. Acromion, 7. Infraspinatus tendon.  In image B the medial glenohumeral ligament is torn as evident by its undulating pattern.  This was confirmed with arthroscopy.