Influence of trial repetition on lameness during force platform gait analysis in a heterogeneous population of clinically lame dogs each trotting at its preferred velocity

Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Gait Parameters in Dogs with Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative disease in dogs, often manifested as pain, joint swelling, and lameness. Despite the lack of scientific evidence for its treatment efficacy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is used in dogs as a pain-relieving treatment. This randomised single-blinded cross-over study investigated the effect of TENS on gait parameters in fifteen dogs with osteoarthritis. Stance time, swing time, stride time, stride length, peak vertical force (%BW), vertical impulse (%BW*sec), and symmetry indices were obtained using a pressure-sensitive mat. TENS treatment of 80 Hz and 100 µs with an individually selected amplitude was conducted for 45 min once daily for a treatment period of seven or ten days. No significant differences were seen between TENS and placebo for any of the gait parameters. Hence, in this study, TENS did not affect gait parameters, compared to placebo. Further studies are needed to confirm the observations.

Outcome in 12 Dogs with Chronic Radiographic Cranial Tibial Subluxation after Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (2019-2021)

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine outcomes in dogs with cruciate ligament rupture (CR) that had chronic radiographic cranial tibial subluxation at the time of osteotomy healing after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). Study Design. Retrospective case analysis of 12 dogs with prospective follow-up. Four of the 12 dogs were prospectively studied 12-24 months after surgery to assess long-term radiographic and clinical outcomes.

Results

Three of the 4 dogs showed improvement in radiographic cranial tibial subluxation at long-term follow-up. In the other dog, minimally improved cranial tibial subluxation was associated with severe lameness. At long-term follow-up, gait analysis in 3 dogs with improved subluxation showed the symmetry of weight-bearing within 10% for peak vertical force, and no clinically lameness. Preoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) and radiographic osteoarthritis in dogs with prospective follow-up and all dogs treated with TPLO surgery in the study period were not significantly different.

Conclusion

Dogs with chronic radiographic cranial tibial subluxation are acceptable candidates for TPLO. Radiographic improvement in stifle reduction may take more than 10 weeks. The dog with long-term persistent subluxation also had a higher TPA over time, suggestive of ineffective surgical correction with TPLO and treatment failure.

Objective Gait Analysis: Review and Clinical Applications

Objective kinetic and kinematic data can be used as an objective measure of treatment intervention over time but can also be used to evaluate progress of clinical patients. Force plate and pressure sensitive walkway systems both offer the clinician the ability to obtain useful kinetic data, whereas additional equipment is required to obtain kinematic data. Which system is preferred depends on what specific data the researcher or clinician hopes to acquire; both are accurate and consistent, and each offers pros and cons compared with the other that must be considered.

Effect of contact time on variance of ground reaction forces during force platform gait analysis of a heterogeneous sample of clinically normal dogs

OBJECTIVE To develop contact time (ConT) and withers height-normalized relative ConT (ConT*) for force platform gait analysis of dogs. ANIMALS 29 healthy client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES Height at the most dorsal aspect of the shoulders (withers) was measured with a framing square. Dogs were trotted across a force platform at their preferred velocity with controlled acceleration (± 0.5 m/s²). Ranges of ConT and ConT* centered on the population mean ConT were created. Variance effects on ground reaction forces (GRFs) for 4 thoracic limb and 4 pelvic limb ConT and associated ConT* ranges were examined. Efficiency of trial capture and effects of velocity ranges on GRF variance were determined. RESULTS Individual dogs had the greatest effect on GRF variance for thoracic and pelvic limbs. Narrow ConT and ConT* ranges had few significant effects on GRFs but were inefficient at capturing trials. The ConT ranges of 0.22 to 0.29 seconds and 0.19 to 0.25 seconds for thoracic and pelvic limbs, respectively, provided the most efficient rates of trial capture with the fewest significant effects on GRFs. Compared with ConT and ConT* ranges, relative velocity ranges had higher efficiency and smaller GRF variance effects. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dogs of various morphologies have differing limb velocities. Use of ConT as a surrogate for limb velocity may improve GRF data quality. We identified ConT and ConT* ranges associated with low GRF variance. However, relative velocity ranges captured data more efficiently. Efficient capture of data may help avoid worsening of lameness during gait analysis of dogs.