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DEFINITION:
Osteochondritis/Osteochondrosis describes a variety of joint diseases all of  which involve abnormal cartilage-and/or bone development. OCD can affect the shoulders, elbows or knees. Osteoarthritis will eventually occur if this condition is not taken care of aggressively. The arthrits is due to   wear and tear and joint degeneration.
 

                    Shoulder Joint Lesions

                Reproduced DIRECTLY from Hill's Atlas of Veterinary Clinical Anatomy

                Osteocondrosis Dissecans (OCD): OCD is a disease characterized by
                   separation of a portion of cartilage from bone. All bones within joints are
                   covered with cartilage. The disease begins as the cartilage begins to
                   separate from the bone and forms a "flap". This flap can cause symptoms
                   on its own. The flap of cartilage can also break free from the bone and
                   "float" about within the joint (joint mouse). The final separation of the flap
                   may be precipitated by a relatively minor trauma and produce an acute
                   onset of lameness. It is also possible for this free piece of cartilage to
                   continue to grow within the joint and impinge on various joint structures. 

                CLINICAL SIGNS:
                   Lameness is the presenting symptom. It first occurs between four and eight
                   months of age. Males are approximately three times more frequently
                   affected than females. Lameness may be a sudden event and is usually of a
                   slight to moderate degree at first. It generally worsens with exercise and
                   diminishes with rest. The dog may tend to hold the affected limb in a
                   direction slightly away from the body and may also be reluctant to fully
                   extend the affected joint(s) during movement or upon examination. 

                DIAGNOSIS:
                   Physical examination and radiographs of the affected joint(s). The
                   Orthopedic Foundation for Animals does maintain an Elbow Registry.
                   Elbow x-rays are submitted to be evaluated for OCD and UAP. The
                   purpose of this registry is to identify phenotypically normal dogs and screen
                   radiographs for signs of early degenerative elbow joint disease. The earliest
                   and most consistent secondary change is a smooth periosteal reaction on
                   the proximal anconeal process and/or joint incongruity. Dogs aged 24
                   months or older that have normal radiographs will be assigned a breed
                   registry number. These numbers will be periodically reported to the parent
                   breed club. 

                 Elbow Grading
                    Grade I:
                            Minimal bony changes of the anconeal process
                    Grade II:
                            Additional subcondral bony changes and/or presence of
                            osteophytes (bone spurs)
                    Grade III:
                            Well-developed degenerative joint disease
 

                TREATMENT:
                   Some OCD lesions never cause lameness and will not require specific
                   treatment. Many dogs will be seen that have disease in both shoulder or
                   both elbow joints radiographically, but will display lameness only to one
                   extremity. This may shift from one limb to the other. Some surgeons
                   believe only 20% of these bilateral cases will require surgery on both sides,
                   whereas others suggest up to 50% require bilateral surgery. In the
                   shoulder, surgical treatment is indicated when lameness is present and
                   persistent and when there is pain upon manipulation of the joint. In the
                   elbow, the OCD lesion involving the distal(furthest away from spinal cord)
                   border of the medial epicondyle can be treated conservatively or with
                   surgery. If more than one lesion is presenting a joint, surgery is indicated.
                   Conservative treatment includes regular exercise with a gradual build-up in
                   the amount of daily exercise. Generally, by the time the dog is twelve to
                   eighteen months of age, the lameness may have resolved on its own. 

                PROGNOSIS:
                   The osteoarthritis associated with the lesions of osteochondrosis will
                   progress throughout life. It may not produce symptoms until middle to
                   older age. Once osteoarthritis is present, surgical treatment may actually
                   increase its progression. Surgery should be considered if shoulder or
                   elbow lameness is particularly severe or worsens with a conservative
                   approach. In general, the sooner surgery is done the better the prognosis. 

                MODE OF INHERITANCE:
                   Nutritional, environmental and genetic factors have all been implicated.
                   These are diseases primarily of young, fast-growing, active dogs of
                   medium to large size. The nutritional factor is one of over-feeding or
                   over-supplementing growing dogs. The exact mode of genetic transmission
                   is unknown. Owners are encouraged to register their dogs with OFA and
                   breed only dogs deemed normal. In the editor's opinion, dogs with OCD
                   of any joint should be excluded from breeding programs. 

                REFERENCES: 

                   Ettinger S., Feldman E. Textbook for Veterinary Internal Medicine Vol. II.

                   Foster, R., Smith, M. What's the diagnosis?: understanding your dog's
                   health problems. New York: Howell Book House, 1995; 70-71. 

                   Gregory, C.R. Surgery and postoperative care. In: Siegal, M., ed. UC
                   Davis school of veterinary medicine book of dogs: a complete medical
                   reference for dogs and puppies. New York: HarperCollins, 1995; 441. 

                   Hill's Pet Products. Hill's Atlas of Veterinary Clinical Anatomy. USA:
                   Veterinary Medicine Publishing Co., Inc., 1989: 44, 46. 

                   Kirk, C.A., Biourge, V. C. Diseases of dietary origin. In: Siegal, M., ed.
                   UC Davis school of veterinary medicine book of dogs: a complete medical
                   reference for dogs and puppies. New York: HarperCollins, 1995;
                   109-110. 

                   Leighton, R.L. The skeleton and disorders. In: Siegal, M., ed. UC Davis
                   school of veterinary medicine book of dogs: a complete medical reference
                   for dogs and puppies. New York: HarperCollins, 1995; 266. 

                   Padgett, G. Elbow registry. Columbia, MO: Orthopedic Foundation for
                   Animals. 
 

Lyn Richards, DogLogic.com 
danelady@doglogic.com 
(SBGA and Dog health info) 
2375 State Rd 13 N 
Jacksonville, FL 32259 
904-287-8824 FAX: 904-287-6176  

SOURCES

Marina Zacharias, Ambrican (Source of Alt Meds)  Certified Homotoxicologist and Holistic Practitioner PO Box 1436  Jacksonville, OR 97530  541-899-2080 e-mail ambrican@cdsnet.net	Dr. Cindi Bossart, DVM  (Veterinary source)  Animal Hospital of Fort Lauderdale, FL  954-561-8777
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