PANOSTEITIS

Panosteitis is a common idiopathic bone disease of dogs and is charact erized by osseous proliferation and excessive bone remodeling. The dis ease usually affects young dogs of large breeds. Typically, canine pat ients present with acute shifting lameness and pain during deep palpat ion of affected bones. Although lameness is usually self-limiting (wit h spontaneous recovery), persistent or recurrent episodes may be a pro blem. Treatment of panosteitis is supportive. Analgesics should be adm inistered as necessary (oral buffered aspirin is recommended). The act ivity of patients should be restricted. The prognosis for dogs affecte d with panosteitis is good. To date, efforts to isolate an infectious agent from dogs with panosteitis have been unsuccessful. This article considers possible causative agents of the condition, including viral infection.