INCIDENCE OF CANINE APPENDICULAR MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN 16 VETERINARY TEACHING HOSPITALS FROM 1980 THROUGH 1989

The goal of this study was to determine the incidence of musculoskelet al disorders in a large canine population. Patient information was obt ained from clinical cases contributed to the Veterinary Medical Data B ase (VMDB) by 16 veterinary teaching hospitals during the ten year per iod of 1980 through 1989. The relative contribution of bone diseases, joint diseases, and muscle-tendon-unit diseases was determined, and th e incidence of each musculoskeletal disease reported. Nearly 24% of al l patients in the source population had been affected by a disorder of the musculoskeletal system, and over 70% of those diagnoses involved appendicular structures. Diseases of joints, ligaments, and related st ructures contributed more cases (47%) to this study than diseases of b ones (39%) or muscle-tendon-units (14%). Fractures made up the largest disease category, with pelvic fractures most common, followed by femo ral fractures, and fractures of the radius and/or ulna. Joint instabil ity and degenerative joint disease were also common diagnosis categori es, affecting primarily the hip and stifle joints. Common specific dis ease entities included hip dysplasia, cruciate ligament rupture, traum atic hip luxation and patellar luxation. In this study we provided a c omprehensive analysis of the canine musculoskeletal system. The relati ve importance of joint disorders compared to those of bones and muscle -tendon-units was illustrated. The incidence of most of the disorders described in this report had not been well documented previously.