Rehabilitating the canine elbow: a practical guide

Elbow pathology is a common cause of forelimb lameness in the dog (Scott and Witte, 2011). Unlike the shoulder, which is affected by many conditions involving soft tissue structures providing stability, the majority of issues affecting the elbow arise from the bony constituents, including incongruities, dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans and osteoarthritis, as well as injuries resulting from trauma.

Clinical examination of an animal with forelimb lameness must consist of a thorough examination of all joints. Particular attention should be paid to the structures and stability of the shoulder joint, because of the prevalence of pathology in this region, as well as the elbow before concluding which areas warrant further investigation (Cook and Cook, 2009).

Evaluation of the elbow joint relies upon diagnostic imaging modalities, such as radiography using oblique positioning, to increase the likelihood of visualising loose fragments. Other modalities include computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and/or scintigraphy, although in some cases, arthroscopy for direct visualisation of the bony structures may be necessary to confirm diagnoses (Fitzpatrick et al, 2009).