Clinical and radiographic aspects of elbow dysplasia in Labrador Retrievers dogs in Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Abstract

Elbow dysplasia is a common manifestation of osteochondrosis in young dogs from large to giant breeds with risk factors including nutrition, genetics and handling. Clinical and radiographic evaluations of 30 Labrador Retrievers, at random, were performed. The study included animals above 12 months of age. Exceptions were symptomatic dogs below 12 months of age. Radiographic signs of elbow dysplasia were identified in 36,1% of individuals (11/30). Elbow incongruency and fragmented coronoid process were the main causes and coexisted in most of the cases. Joint effusion and creptation were the clinical signs which better associated with the disease. Even though it was not statistically significant, semiflexed mediolateral projection allowed identification of most of the radiographical findings. Osteophytes on radial head were the most common finding of degenerative articular disease (10/11). The investigation confirmed elbow dysplasia as one of the main growth skeletal disturbance in this breed and calls for the necessity of a rigorous reproductive selection of those animals.