Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2021; 34(02): 108-114
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1719062
Original Research

Analysis of a Laxity Index Database and Comparison with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale Grades of This Population

Mileva Bertal
1   Department of Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
,
2   Clinica Veterinaria Vezzoni, Cremona, Italy
,
Elke Van der Vekens
3   Division of Clinical Radiology, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
,
Ingeborgh Polis
4   Department of Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
,
Jimmy H. Saunders*
1   Department of Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
,
Bart J.G. Broeckx*
5   Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to analyse the distribution of the laxity indices (LI) in a dog population, to compare the LI with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) grades and to search for differences of LI between breeds.

Study Design The database was composed of all dogs presented to the University Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ghent for obligatory hip screening between January 2016 and February 2019, and all patients presented to orthopaedic consultation between January 2017 and January 2019 for a complaint of hindlimb lameness, which underwent both a standard extended ventrodorsal radiograph of the hips and a stress radiograph revealing hip joint laxity. The latter was obtained by means of the Vezzoni-modified Badertscher distension device and the LI was calculated. For each dog of the population, the LI was then compared with the FCI grade.

Results The LI values ranged between 0.15 and 1.04, with a mean of 0.46. The LI and the FCI grade increased together, and showed a moderate-to-good correlation. There was a highly significant overall difference in the mean value of LI per FCI grade group (p < 0.001). The mean LI of the Labrador Retrievers was slightly but significantly lower than the mean LI of the Golden Retrievers (p < 0.01).

Conclusion The LI calculated on a stress radiograph taken with the Vezzoni-modified Badertscher distension device shows a good correlation with the FCI grade assigned on a standard extended ventrodorsal projection. A wide range of passive hip joint laxity exists in dogs considered to be phenotypically normal based on the FCI grading method.

Note

No author receives any royalties for the production or selling of the distension device.


Authors' Contributions

M.B. and B.J.G.B. contributed to conception of study, study design, acquisition of data, and data analysis and interpretation. A.V. conceptualized the study and performed data analysis and interpretation. E.V. and I.P. acquired the data. J.H.S. conceptualized and designed the study. All authors drafted, revised and approved the submitted manuscript and are publically accountable for relevant content.


* These authors contributed equally to this work.




Publication History

Received: 03 November 2019

Accepted: 31 July 2020

Article published online:
31 October 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
  • References

  • 1 Henricson B, Norberg I, Olsson SE. On the etiology and pathogenesis of hip dysplasia: a comparative review. J Small Anim Pract 1966; 7 (11) 673-688
  • 2 Smith GK, Gregor TP, Rhodes WH, Biery DN. Coxofemoral joint laxity from distraction radiography and its contemporaneous and prospective correlation with laxity, subjective score, and evidence of degenerative joint disease from conventional hip-extended radiography in dogs. Am J Vet Res 1993; 54 (07) 1021-1042
  • 3 Riser WH, Shirer JF. Correlation between canine hip dysplasia and pelvic muscle mass: a study of 95 dogs. Am J Vet Res 1967; 28 (124) 769-777
  • 4 Smith GK, Popovitch CA, Gregor TP, Shofer FS. Evaluation of risk factors for degenerative joint disease associated with hip dysplasia in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1995; 206 (05) 642-647
  • 5 Verhoeven G, Fortrie R, Van Ryssen B, Coopman F. Worldwide screening for canine hip dysplasia: where are we now?. Vet Surg 2012; 41 (01) 10-19
  • 6 Vezzoni A, Dravelli G, Corbari A. et al. Early diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia. Eur J Companion Anim Pract 2005; 15: 173-184
  • 7 Farese JP, Todhunter RJ, Lust G, Williams AJ, Dykes NL. Dorsolateral subluxation of hip joints in dogs measured in a weight-bearing position with radiography and computed tomography. Vet Surg 1998; 27 (05) 393-405
  • 8 Flückiger MA, Friedrich GA, Binder H. A radiographic stress technique for evaluation of coxofemoral joint laxity in dogs. Vet Surg 1999; 28 (01) 1-9
  • 9 Smith GK, Biery DN, Gregor TP. New concepts of coxofemoral joint stability and the development of a clinical stress-radiographic method for quantitating hip joint laxity in the dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1990; 196 (01) 59-70
  • 10 Lust G, Williams AJ, Burton-Wurster N. et al. Joint laxity and its association with hip dysplasia in Labrador retrievers. Am J Vet Res 1993; 54 (12) 1990-1999
  • 11 Broeckx BJG, Vezzoni A, Bogaerts E. et al. Comparison of three methods to quantify laxity in the canine hip joint. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2018; 31 (01) 23-29
  • 12 Bertal M, Vezzoni A, Houdellier B. et al. Intra – and interobserver variability of measurements of the laxity index on stress radiographs performed with the Vezzoni modified Badertscher hip distension device. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2018; 31 (04) 246-251
  • 13 Bertal M, De Rycke L, Vezzoni A, Polis I, Saunders JH, Broeckx BJG. Technical repeatability and reproducibility of the stress radiographs performed with the Vezzoni-Modified Badertscher hip distension device. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2019; 32 (01) 67-72
  • 14 Fédération Cynologique Internationale. 2006 FCI Requirements for Official Hip Dysplasia Screening. http://www.fci.be/medias/SCI-REG-DYS-HAN-DIR-en-1735.pdf. Accessed September 5, 2019
  • 15 Friedrichs KR, Harr KE, Freeman KP. American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology. et al. ASVCP reference interval guidelines: determination of de novo reference intervals in veterinary species and other related topics. Vet Clin Pathol 2012; 41 (04) 441-453
  • 16 Powers MY, Karbe GT, Gregor TP. et al. Evaluation of the relationship between Orthopedic Foundation for Animals' hip joint scores and PennHIP distraction index values in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010; 237 (05) 532-541
  • 17 Barr ARS, Denny HR, Gibbs C. Clinical hip dysplasia in growing dogs: the long-term results of conservative management. J Small Anim Pract 1987; 28: 243-252
  • 18 Verhoeven GEC, Coopman F, Duchateau L, Bosmans T, Van Ryssen B, Van Bree H. Interobserver agreement on the assessability of standard ventrodorsal hip-extended radiographs and its effect on agreement in the diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia and on routine FCI scoring. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2009; 50 (03) 259-263
  • 19 Gatineau M, Dupuis J, Beauregard G. et al. Palpation and dorsal acetabular rim radiographic projection for early detection of canine hip dysplasia: a prospective study. Vet Surg 2012; 41 (01) 42-53
  • 20 Corley EA, Keller GG, Lattimer JC, Ellersieck MR. Reliability of early radiographic evaluations for canine hip dysplasia obtained from the standard ventrodorsal radiographic projection. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1997; 211 (09) 1142-1146
  • 21 Ohlerth S, Busato A, Rauch M, Weber U, Lang J. Comparison of three distraction methods and conventional radiography for early diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia. J Small Anim Pract 2003; 44 (12) 524-529
  • 22 Hedhammar Å. Swedish experiences from 60 years of screening and breeding programs for hip dysplasia – research, success, and challenges. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7: 228
  • 23 Smith GK, Mayhew PD, Kapatkin AS, McKelvie PJ, Shofer FS, Gregor TP. Evaluation of risk factors for degenerative joint disease associated with hip dysplasia in German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Rottweilers. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001; 219 (12) 1719-1724
  • 24 Smith GK, Paster ER, Powers MY. et al. Lifelong diet restriction and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the hip joint in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2006; 229 (05) 690-693
  • 25 Leighton EA. Genetics of canine hip dysplasia. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1997; 210 (10) 1474-1479
  • 26 Ginja MM, Silvestre AM, Ferreira AJ. et al. Passive hip laxity in Estrela Mountain Dog--distraction index, heritability and breeding values. Acta Vet Hung 2008; 56 (03) 303-312
  • 27 Zhang Z, Zhu L, Sandler J. et al. Estimation of heritabilities, genetic correlations, and breeding values of four traits that collectively define hip dysplasia in dogs. Am J Vet Res 2009; 70 (04) 483-492
  • 28 Taroni M, Genevois JP, Viguier E. et al. Evolution of radiographic parameters of canine passive hip laxity at 4, 6 and 12 months: a study of 306 dogs. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2018; 31 (05) 321-326