EFFECTS OF INTRAARTICULAR CHLORHEXIDINE DIACETATE LAVAGE ON THE STIFLE IN HEALTHY DOGS

Eight dogs were determined to be orthopedically normal on the basis of prelavage physical examination, stifle radiography, synovial fluid an alysis, and force plate analysis (peak vertical force normalized for b ody weight, and time on the force plate). Each dog had 1 stifle random ly assigned to be lavaged with 100 ml of a commercially available 0.05 % (w/v) chlorhexidine diacetate solution, and the contralateral stifle was lavaged with lactated Ringer's solution. Difference was not detec ted between the chlorhexidine diacetate and lactated Ringer's solution -treated joints, with regard to results of synovial fluid analysis and clinical lameness evaluations on days 4 and 8 after lavage. Chlorhexi dine diacetate caused a more intense synovitis than did lactated Ringe r's solution, as determined by histologic evaluation of synovial membr ane specimens after necropsy on day 8; however, a difference in the in tensity of toluidine blue staining of articular cartilage was not foun d between treatments. Chlorhexidine diacetate, as a 0.05% (w/v) soluti on, cannot be recommended as a joint lavage fluid until the duration o f inflammatory changes in the synovial membrane are determined or unti l the chemical constituents of chlorhexidine diacetate causing the syn ovitis can be identified and removed.