Another Name: Elbow joint malformation

Disease Description: An abnormal development of the elbow joint.

Inherit Mode: This is a polygenic condition (more than one gene is necessary to cause the disease), although it is not currently known how many or which genes are responsible. Environmental factors such as over-feeding, which causes fast weight-gain and growth, can also affect the development of this condition in dogs that are genetically predisposed to it.

Disease Symptom: Lameness usually starts insidiously at 7 to 10 months of age. It is present every day, and may be most obvious when you dog first gets up, or starts to walk or run. The prognosis (the likely outcome) depends on how far the disease has progressed when treatment begins. Good clinical results (ie. your dog will not be painful) are usually seen if treatment starts early, before osteoarthritis (degenerative changes in the joint) has developed. If left untreated, your dogs pain and lameness will gradually get worse.

Disease Cause: -

Disease Diagnose: The initial lameness may be very subtle with this condition, and it may be some time before it can be documented or diagnosed. Your veterinarian will suspect elbow dysplasia if you have a young, fast-growing, large breed dog (especially those breeds listed above), with forelimb lameness and elbow pain. She will perform a physical exam and watch your dog walk or run to confirm which limb, and which joint, is painful. X-rays are necessary to diagnose elbow dysplasia. Your veterinarian will probably x-ray both elbows, because this disease is often present in both sides even if your dog is only lame on one side. If possible, she may do a CT scan; this technique will show certain bone fragments better than plain x-ray films.

Treat Method: Surgery is usually recommended to remove a bone or cartilage fragment. If unequal bone growth is the problem, surgery may help to relieve the pressure at the joint. Medical management recommendations include monitoring the diet (to avoid excess weight gain and fast growth), and controlling exercise. Medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help with pain relief. "Chondroprotective agents" such as glucosamine may also be prescribed.

Breeder Advice: Do not breed affected dogs, or dogs which produce offspring with elbow dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA -www.offa.org) maintains an elbow registry screening programme, as do European organizations. The Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals (GDC -www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/gdc/gdc.html) provides evaluation of elbows as recommended by the International Elbow Working Group.

Disease Description Source: Link