Lameness Evaluation

Question 1

Compare painful vs mechanical lameness

Answer 1

Pain: abnormal gait in response to (or a compensation for) pain
Mechanical: abnormal gait due to a loss of a mechanical apparatus (i.e. fibrotic contracture)

Question 2

What breeds are predisposed to panoesteitis vs osteosarcoma vs elbow dysplasia?

Answer 2

Panosteitis: GSD
Osteosarcoma: Rottweilers
Elbow dysplasia: Labs

Question 3

What type of injuries are agility vs hunting dogs predisposed to?

Answer 3

Agility = digits
Hunting = shoulders

Question 4

Hx: Chronic, Intermittent

Answer 4

Chronic tendinopathies

Question 5

Hx: Chronic, Slowly Progressive

Answer 5

Arthritis

Question 6

Hx: Acute, Improving

Answer 6

1st/2nd degree sprain/strain

Question 7

Hx: Acute, Severe, Persistent

Answer 7

Fracture, luxation

Question 8

Hx: Acute with Chronic History

Answer 8

Pathologic fracture
Exacerbation of OA

Question 9

Define: Crepitus

Answer 9

Bone on bone “gritty” or “grating” sensation
Osteoarthritic joint, unstable fracture

Question 10

What does passive range of motion (PROM) testing consist of?

Answer 10

End-feel (e.g. what is limiting ROM)
Goniometry (flexion, extension, abduction, rotation)

Question 11

Define: Effusion

Answer 11

Increased amount of fluid in a joint that indicates articular disease

Question 12

What joints should be evaluated for effusion?

Answer 12

Stifle, tarsus, carpus, elbow

Question 13

What landmarks are used to assess stifle effusion?

Answer 13

Medial and lateral borders of patellar ligament

Question 14

What landmarks are used to assess tarsal effusion?

Answer 14

Caudal and cranial to lateral and medial malleoli

Question 15

What landmarks are used to assess carpal effusion?

Answer 15

Dorsally just distal to the radius with the carpus partially flexed

Question 16

What landmarks are used to assess elbow effusion?

Answer 16

Just caudal to the humeral epicondyles
Challenging

Question 17

What are the physiologic indicators of pain?

Answer 17

Tachypnea
Tachycardia
Pupil dilation
Hypertension
Hyperthermia

Question 18

Cranial Drawer

Answer 18

Assesses for abnormal sagittal plane instability from CCLD
Top hand = stabilize femur, bottom hand = push tibia cranially while keeping tibia in sagittal plane with the femur

Question 19

Tibial Thrust

Answer 19

Test for CCLD that more closely mimics cranio-caudal instability that occurs during weight bearing
Top hand = feel for cranial tibial translation while maintaining the stifle extended in a standing angle, bottom hand = flex the hock

Question 20

Patellar Luxation

Answer 20

Locate tibial tuberosity and follow patellar ligament proximally until it feels more like bone vs pencil, wiggle patella medially and laterally in trochlear groove
Push at base of patella, observe for both luxation and spontaneous replacement

Question 21

Campbell’s Test

Answer 21

Used for assessing for presence of pain in dogs with medial compartment disease
Hold elbow and carpus at 90 degrees each while pronating and supinating the limb and applying gentle pressure over the medial coronoid

Question 22

Ortolani

Answer 22

Assesses for hip laxity
Gently adduct the limb and push up along the axis of femur (subluxation), maintain proximal pressure while abducting the limb and listening for a clunk (reduction)

Question 23

Collateral Ligament Assessment

Answer 23

Apply varus/valgus stress to the joint
Assess most joints in full extension (exception: tarsus tested in extension and moderate flexion to assess both long and short collaterals)

Question 24

What does flexibility testing evaluate?

Answer 24

Muscle extensibility (= stretching, passive elongation with manual force)
Determines which muscle to investigate further

Question 25

PROM vs flexibility of the hamstrings/stifle joint

Answer 25

Hip in extension = stifle extension PROM Hip in flexion = hamstring flexibility

Question 26

What is the difference between passive range of motion and flexibility testing?

Answer 26

Flexibility testing evaluates soft tissue extensibility and necessitates that the muscle be stretched

Question 27

If the animal is lame on the left forelimb, what is the head doing when the left forelimb hits the ground?

Answer 27

It rises up from neutral

Question 28

If the animal is lame on the right hindlimb, what is the hip/tuber coxae position when the right hindlimb hits the ground?

Answer 28

It rises up from neutral

Question 29

If the animal is lame on the left hindlimb at a trot, what is the head doing when the left hindlimb hits the ground?

Answer 29

It drops from neutral

Question 30

Gaiting an animal under different circumstances can make a lameness more detectable. If an animal is right forelimb lame, which movements may exacerbate the lameness?

Answer 30

Descending a hill Circling to the right Jumping down

Question 31

What direction does the head move with thoracic limb lameness?

Answer 31

Head up when lame leg hits the ground

Question 32

What direction does the head move with pelvic limb lameness?

Answer 32

Head down when lame leg hits the ground

Question 33

What direction does the tuber coxae move with pelvic limb lameness?

Answer 33

Elevated when lame leg hits the ground

Question 34

Define: Walk

Answer 34

4 beat gait, no suspension phase

Question 35

Define: Trot

Answer 35

2 beat diagonal gait with suspension phase

Question 36

Define: Pace

Answer 36

2 beat, lateral, ipsilateral limb pairs move in synchrony

Question 37

Define: Canter

Answer 37

Asymmetric