Abstract:
Canine hip dysplasia is one of the most common orthopedic dieseases presents in most breeds of dogs but more
prevalent in large breeds. Clinical examination through tests such as Ortolani, Barlow, and Bardens, alongside with
radiological, tomographic, magnetic resonance, and ultrasonographic examinations, are the only methods for screening
and diagnosing canine hip dysplasia. Canine hip dysplasia can lead to other musckuloskeletal diseases, with the most
common ones being cruciate ligaments tear and spinal conditions such as IVDD or degenerative myelopathy. To assess
hip changes, it is recommended that the patient to be heavily sedated, and the standard exposure will be with the hips in
forced extension. Among knee conditions related to hip dysplasia, the most commonly reported are patellar luxation,
partial cranial cruciate ligament rupture, and osteoarthritic changes. A study conducted on 65 dogs found concurrent hip
dysplasia and patellar luxation in 28% of cases. Clinical goniometry is an objective and non-invasive method of
measuring joint angles, allowing for the assessment of the normal range of joint movements. This method can indicate
the severity of joint pathology. Currently, goniometry is often used in the field of imaging and it can be an important
element in assessing the musculoskeletal system. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of goniometric
measurements at the knee and hip joint levels in dogs with hip dysplasia and if there is a correlation. A total of 10 dogs
from varying breeds of dogs aging from 1 to 3 years old, were deeply sedated in order to measure perform the x-rays in
ventro-dorsal hip extended view for measuring the Norberg angle (Na), anatomic Latero-Proximal Femoral Angle
(aLPFA), anatomic Latero-Distal Femoral Angle (aLDFA), mechanical Latero-Distal Femoral Angle (mLDFA),
mechanical Latero-Proximal Femoral Angle (mLPFA). All patients were part of the clinical cases present in our
department and the written consent of the owners was obtained for each dog. Norberg and femoral angles were
measured within the local DICOM viewer and the statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics. All
images were reviewed by an ECVDI resident, a radiology professor and a radiology intern. All patients within our study
had a Na under the reference value of 105º. All the femoral angles were within limits regarding their normal values.
We conclude that there is not a signicative relation between the Na and the goniometric values obtained, most likely
because of other factors that are influencing these measurements (ex. breed variations, femoral slightly rotation, muscle
contracture due to poor anesthesia management, other musculoskeletal genetic disorders etc.). Further research on a
more relevant statistical sample is recommended, in order to determine the normal goniometric values and the changes
that appear in case of hip dysplasia.
