Spontaneous Septic Arthritis of Canine Elbow Twenty-One Cases

Mielke, Ben, Comerford, Eithne ORCID: 0000-0002-5244-6042, English, Kate and Meeson, Richard (2018) Spontaneous Septic Arthritis of Canine Elbow Twenty-One Cases. VETERINARY AND COMPARATIVE ORTHOPAEDICS AND TRAUMATOLOGY, 31 (6). pp. 488-493.

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Abstract

<h4>Objective</h4> This study provides information on clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and associated risk factors of spontaneous septic elbow arthritis in the dog.<h4>Methods</h4>Medical records between March 2007 and June 2015 were searched for cases of spontaneous septic elbow arthritis with a diagnosis based on clinical signs, arthrocentesis, cytological and microbiological analysis of elbow joint synovial fluid, radiography and outcome following treatment.<h4>Results</h4>Twenty-one cases of septic arthritis were identified. Pre-existing osteoarthritis was present in 14/15 elbows for which diagnostic imaging was available. Although all cases had increased neutrophil count on synovial fluid cytology, culture was only positive in 12/21. Despite initial improvement in lameness scores (pre-treatment 9/10 [range: 1-10] versus post-treatment 3/10 [range: 1-5]), 11/12 had residual long-term lameness. Recurrence of infection was noted in 3/12 elbows for which long-term (>8 weeks) follow-up was available. There was an acute mortality rate of 2/21 associated with severe systemic sepsis.<h4>Clinical significance</h4>Septic arthritis, even in the absence of pyrexia, should be considered as a major differential diagnosis in middle aged, large breed dogs, with pre-existing elbow arthritis, that suffer an acute onset lameness, with elbow joint effusion and discomfort. Antibiotic therapy alone was effective for treatment with high initial response rates. Chronic lameness post-treatment was common, and a high rate of recurrence was seen with 3/12 dogs suffering more than one episode.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	septic arthritis, elbow, osteoarthritis, elbow dysplasia, infections
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	25 Jan 2019 11:41
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 01:06
DOI:	10.1055/s-0038-1668108
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3031765