Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ligament Laxity in Nonerosive Immune-Mediated Polyarthritis in Dogs: Five Cases (2009-2017).
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2019
- Authors:
- Whitworth, Fiona et al.
- Affiliation:
- University of Bristol · United Kingdom
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This study looked at five dogs diagnosed with a type of arthritis called nonerosive immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA), which caused their ligaments in the wrist or ankle to become loose. The dogs were treated without corticosteroids, and their medical records were reviewed to gather information about their symptoms and treatments. Three of the dogs had surgery to stabilize their joints, but unfortunately, three dogs had to be euthanized due to severe symptoms that couldn't be managed. The remaining four dogs experienced multiple relapses and required ongoing treatment to control their condition, but none were able to stop needing medication. Overall, the outlook for these dogs was poor, as they struggled to manage their disease effectively.
Abstract
Ligament laxity is a known complication of erosive immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) in dogs. The purpose of this study was to describe the occurrence and clinical features of carpal or tarsal ligament laxity in cases of nonerosive IMPA in dogs for the first time. Five client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of nonerosive IMPA and carpal or tarsal ligament laxity in which the influence of corticosteroids was excluded were identified. Medical records were reviewed, and data including signalment, investigative findings, and treatment regimen (e.g., surgical management) was extracted. Primary care practices were contacted to obtain follow-up, and the data was descriptively analyzed. The affected joints were either carpi and tarsi (n = 3) or carpi only (n = 2). In three cases, surgical arthrodesis was performed. Three dogs were euthanized (1 mo, 12 mo, and 5 yr) as a result of the severity of clinical signs and poor control. In the four dogs surviving >6 mo, multiple episodes of relapse were recorded, and multimodal immunosuppression was needed. The prognosis for the dogs described was poor, with none achieving control of the disease without ongoing immunosuppressive therapy. Damage to soft-tissue periarticular structures may be related to prolonged clinical disease or a more severe presentation. Jaccoud's arthropathy in humans with systemic lupus erythematosus may represent a homologous presentation.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31099600/