Elbow Dysplasia? Cont'd

Today we had an appointment with the Orthopedic surgeon, this to determine whether Philippe is suffering from Elbow Dysplasia (ED) Unfortunately we got bad news; Philippe is diagnosed this the following genetic defects in his elbows:

Fragmented Coronoid Process (FCP) or Loose Processus Coronoideus (LPC)

Fragmented Coronoid Process is a condition in which a small piece of bone on the inner side of the joint has 'broken' off of the ulna bone. This piece of bone irritates the lining of the joint and grinds off the cartilage of the adjacent humerus (similar to having a pebble in your shoe).

Since Philippe is still growning the Orthopedic surgeon wants to wait operating him; with our without the bone fragment Philippe will eventually experience erosion of the joint and develop arteritis at a later state. Depending on the pain and discomfort we need to determine what the best treatment will be for Philippe.

Incongruent Elbow

Bones of the elbow joint grow at different rates so do not fit together properly.



Joint incongruity is usually caused by failure of the radius and ulna to grow at the same rate. Joint incongruity may have a genetic basis, and is generally considered to be a growth problem.

Again, Philippe is still growing and the Orthopedic surgeon wants to wait to see if there is still any improvement in growth in the Radius (underarm). Phillipe will continue growing another 4 to 5 months and therefore we decided to let nature take its course. Operating now is not advisable due to not knowing whether the Radius will catch up with the Humerus (upperarm). If there will be no change in a month anda half or so, we might consider having Philippe operated.

The Orthopedic surgeon told us that both parents might carry the gene but were not affected themselves. It is most likely that other offspring pups from the same litter carry the same gene.

Usually, after the dog is 12 to 18 months of age, the lameness will have become less severe and some dogs will function very well. The long-term prognosis (outlook), however, is guarded. Usually, arthritis will occur as Philippe ages, regardless of the type of treatment.

Call it bad luck if you like but catching this at an early age will increase his changes to outgrow any severe disfunction at an older age.

To be continued ...

Full body suit for Philippe

This morning we picked up, believe it or not, a full body suit for Philippe. He is suffering from skin rash just above his tail. Martin has been licking Philippe on an ongoing basis which needed protection, giving Philippe's skin some proper rest. Although it looks fucky, it is truly a necessity. With the right cream and keeping Martin away from his fellow doggy friend, Philippe should be up and running in no time.

Elbow Dysplasia?

For quite some time now we noticed Philippe has problems walking normally like any other 6 months old puppy dog. His front legs are typically stiff when walking for dogs with Elbow Dysplasia. His gait looks painful but nevertheless he enjoys playing, walking and rumbles with his fellow doggy friends. However, we decided to have Philippe checked thoroughly, hoping to get some answers about his stiff gait.

As it seems Philippe could suffer from what is known as Elbow Dysplasia.

What is Elbow Dysplasia?

Elbow dysplasia is a term used to describe a disorder in growing bone. Normal bone growth consists of the fusion of many bones into one bone. Many bones in a newborn puppy are not just one piece of bone, but several different pieces of bone with cartilage in-between. This is especially true of long bones of the limbs. As the puppy grows the cartilage changes into bone and the several pieces of a bone fuse together forming one entire bone. For instance, the ulna, a bone in the forearm starts out as 4 pieces of bone that eventually fuse into one.

In elbow dysplasia, the cartilage between the bony areas fails to turn into bone and often becomes thickened. The cause of this may include genetic factors, trauma and nutrition. The signs of this abnormal bone growth usually develop between 6 and 9 months of age, and generally appear as lameness. Elbow dysplasia is more common in rapidly growing, large breed puppies.

Dogs with elbow dysplasia will usually display an obvious limp, may hold the leg out from the body while walking, or even attempt to carry the front leg completely, putting no weight on it at all. Signs may be noted as early as four months of age. Many affected animals will go through a period between six and about twelve months of age, during which the clinical signs will be the worst. After this period, most will show some signs occasionally but they will not be as severe.
As these dogs continue to mature, there will probably be permanent arthritic changes occurring in the joint. This will cause many obvious problems and it may become necessary to utilize oral or injectable medications to make the animal more comfortable. Elbow dysplasia is therefore a life long problem for the affected animals. Some of these dogs can be helped with surgery. In some, surgery can even eliminate the problem totally.

Next week we need to take Philippe to a Orthopaedic doctor whom will examen him. I personally hope there is nothing wrong with Philippe, since both parents are ED negative.

To be continued.

Day with Friends @ Wijk aan Zee