OBJECTIVE To evaluate and quantify the kinematic behavior of canine mandibles before and after bilateral rostral or unilateral segmental mandibulectomy as well as after mandibular reconstruction with a locking reconstruction plate in ex vivo conditions. SAMPLE Head specimens from cadavers of 16 dogs (range in body weight, 30 to 35 kg). PROCEDURE Specimens were assigned to undergo unilateral segmental (n = 8) or bilateral rostral (8) mandibulectomy and then mandibular reconstruction by internal fixation with locking plates. Kinematic markers were attached to each specimen in a custom-built load frame. Markers were tracked in 3-D space during standardized loading conditions, and mandibular motions were quantified. Differences in mandibular range of motion among 3 experimental conditions (before mandibulectomy [ie, with mandibles intact], after mandibulectomy, and after reconstruction) were assessed by means of repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS Both unilateral segmental and bilateral rostral mandibulectomy resulted in significantly greater mandibular motion and instability, compared with results for intact mandibles. No significant differences in motion were detected between mandibles reconstructed after unilateral segmental mandibulectomy and intact mandibles. Similarly, the motion of mandibles reconstructed after rostral mandibulectomy was no different from that of intact mandibles, except in the lateral direction. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Mandibular kinematics in head specimens from canine cadavers were significantly altered after unilateral segmental and bilateral rostral mandibulectomy. These alterations were corrected after mandibular reconstruction with locking reconstruction plates. Findings reinforced the clinical observations of the beneficial effect of reconstruction on mandibular function and the need for reconstructive surgery after mandibulectomy in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To perform 3-D inverse dynamics analysis of the entire forelimb of healthy dogs during a walk and trot. ANIMALS 5 healthy adult Beagles. PROCEDURES The left forelimb of each dog was instrumented with 19 anatomic markers. X-ray fluoroscopy was used to optimize marker positions and perform scientific rotoscoping for 1 dog. Inverse dynamics were computed for each dog during a walk and trot on the basis of data obtained from an infrared motion-capture system and instrumented quad-band treadmill. Morphometric data were obtained from a virtual reconstruction of the left forelimb generated from a CT scan of the same dog that underwent scientific rotoscoping. RESULTS Segmental angles, torque, and power patterns were described for the scapula, humerus, ulna, and carpus segments in body frame. For the scapula and humerus, the kinematics and dynamics determined from fluoroscopy-based data varied substantially from those determined from the marker-based data. The dominant action of scapular rotation for forelimb kinematics was confirmed. Directional changes in the torque and power patterns for each segment were fairly consistent between the 2 gaits, but the amplitude of those changes was often greater at a trot than at a walk. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that control of the forelimb joints of dogs is similar for both a walk and trot. Rotation of the forelimb around its longitudinal axis and motion of the scapula should be reconsidered in the evaluation of musculoskeletal diseases, especially before and after treatment or rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of exercise in an underwater treadmill (UWT) on forelimb biomechanics and articular histologic outcomes in horses with experimentally induced osteoarthritis of the middle carpal joint. ANIMALS 16 horses. PROCEDURES An osteochondral fragment was induced arthroscopically (day 0) in 1 middle carpal joint of each horse. Beginning on day 15, horses were assigned to exercise in a UWT or in the UWT without water (simulating controlled hand walking) at the same speed, frequency, and duration. Thoracic and pelvic limb ground reaction forces, thoracic limb kinematics, and electromyographic results for select thoracic limb muscles acting on the carpi were collected on days -7 (baseline), 14, 42, and 70. Weekly evaluations included clinical assessments of lameness, response to carpal joint flexion, and goniometric measurements of thoracic limb articulations. At study conclusion, articular cartilage and synovial membrane from the middle carpal joints was histologically examined. RESULTS Exercise in a UWT significantly reduced synovial membrane inflammation and resulted in significant clinical improvements with regard to symmetric thoracic limb loading, uniform activation patterns of select thoracic limb muscles, and return to baseline values for carpal joint flexion, compared with results for horses with simulated hand walking. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Overall improvements in thoracic limb function, joint range of motion, and synovial membrane integrity indicated that exercise in a UWT was a potentially viable therapeutic option for the management of carpal joint osteoarthritis in horses.

Objective—To quantify the 3-D kinematics and collateral ligament strain of stifle joints in cadaveric canine limbs before and after cranial cruciate ligament transection followed by total knee replacement (TKR) involving various tibial plateau angles and spacer thicknesses. Sample—6 hemi-pelvises collected from clinically normal nonchondrodystrophic dogs (weight range, 25 to 35 kg). Procedures—Hemi-pelvises were mounted on a modified Oxford knee rig that allowed 6 degrees of freedom of the stifle joint but prevented mechanical movement of the hip and tarsal joints. Kinematics and collateral ligament strain were measured continuously while stifle joints were flexed. Data were again collected after cranial cruciate ligament transection and TKR with combinations of 3 plateau angles (0°, 4°, and 8°) and spacer thicknesses (5, 7, and 9 mm). Results—Presurgical (ie, normal) stifle joint rotations were comparable to those previously documented for live dogs. After TKR, kinematics recorded for the 8°, 5-mm implant most closely resembled those of unaltered stifle joints. Decreasing the plateau angle and increasing spacer thickness altered stifle joint adduction, internal rotation, and medial translation. Medial collateral ligament strain was minimal in unaltered stifle joints and was unaffected by TKR. Lateral collateral ligament strain decreased with steeper plateau angles but returned to a presurgical level at the flattest plateau angle. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Among the constructs tested, greatest normalization of canine stifle joint kinematics in vitro was achieved with the steepest plateau angle paired with the thinnest spacer. Furthermore, results indicated that strain to the collateral ligaments was not negatively affected by .

Objective: To assess differences in sagittal plane joint kinematics and ground reaction forces between lean and obese adult dogs of similar sizes at 2 trotting velocities. Animals: 16 adult dogs. Procedures: Dogs with body condition score (BCS) of 8 or 9 (obese dogs; n = 8) and dogs with BCS of 4 or 5 (lean dogs; 8) on a 9-point scale were evaluated. Sagittal plane joint kinematic and ground reaction force data were obtained from dogs trotting at 1.8 and 2.5 m/s with a 3-D motion capture system, a force platform, and 12 infrared markers placed on bony landmarks. Results: Mean stride lengths for forelimbs and hind limbs at both velocities were shorter in obese than in lean dogs. Stance phase range of motion (ROM) was greater in obese dogs than in lean dogs for shoulder (28.2° vs 20.6°), elbow (23.6° vs 16.4°), hip (27.2° vs 22.9°), and tarsal (38.9° vs 27.9°) joints at both velocities. Swing phase ROM was greater in obese dogs than in lean dogs for elbow (61.2° vs 53.7°) and hip (34.4° vs 29.8°) joints. Increased velocity was associated with increased stance ROM in elbow joints and increased stance and swing ROM in hip joints of obese dogs. Obese dogs exerted greater peak vertical and horizontal ground reaction forces than did lean dogs. Body mass and peak vertical ground reaction force were significantly correlated. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Greater ROM detected during the stance phase and greater ground reaction forces in the gait of obese dogs, compared with lean dogs, may cause greater compressive forces within joints and could influence the development of osteoarthritis.

Objective-To determine kinematic changes to the hoof of horses at a walk after induction of unilateral, weight-bearing forelimb lameness and to determine whether hoof kinematics return to prelameness (baseline) values after perineural anesthesia. Animals-6 clinically normal Quarter Horses. Procedures-For each horse, a sole-pressure model was used to induce 3 grades of lameness in the right forelimb, after which perineural anesthesia was administered to eliminate lameness. Optical kinematics were obtained for both forelimbs with the horse walking before (baseline) and after induction of each grade of lameness and after perineural anesthesia. Linear acceleration profiles were used to identify hoof events, and each stride was divided into hoof-contact, break-over, initial-swing, terminal-swing, and total-swing segments. Kinematic variables were compared within and between limbs for each segment by use of mixed repeated-measures ANOVA. Results-During the hoof-contact and terminal-swing segments, the hoof of the left (nonlame) forelimb had greater sagittal-plane orientation than did the hoof of the right (lame) forelimb. For the lame limb following lameness induction, the break-over duration and maximum cranial acceleration were increased from baseline. After perineural anesthesia, break-over duration for the lame limb returned to a value similar to that at baseline, and orientation of the hoof during the terminal-swing segment did not differ between the lame and nonlame limbs. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Subclinical unilateral forelimb lameness resulted in significant alterations to hoof kinematics in horses that are walking, and the use of hoof kinematics may be beneficial for the detection of subclinical lameness in horses.

Objective: To identify gait characteristics during trotting on a treadmill in nonlame Labrador Retrievers presumed predisposed or not predisposed to cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD). Animals: Clinically normal Labrador Retrievers presumed predisposed (n = 10) or not predisposed (7) to CCLD. Procedures: The right hind limb of each dog was classified by use of a predictive score equation that combined tibial plateau angle and femoral anteversion angle as presumed predisposed (high score [> −1.5]) or not predisposed (low score [≤ −1.5]) to CCLD. Tarsal joint, stifle joint, and hip joint kinematics, net moments, and powers were computed. Results: The stifle joint was held at a greater degree of flexion in limbs presumed predisposed to CCLD (130.9° vs 139.3°). More power was generated by muscles acting on the stifle joint in the early stance phase of limbs presumed to be predisposed to CCLD (2.93 vs 1.64 W/kg). The tarsal joint did not reach the same degree of extension in limbs presumed predisposed to CCLD, compared with that in limbs presumed not predisposed to CCLD (179.0° vs 161.0°). Velocity, stance time, vertical and craniocaudal forces, angular velocities, and net joint muscle moments did not differ between groups. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Gait mechanics of dogs with high (> −1.5) and low (≤ −1.5) tibial plateau angle and femoral anteversion angle scores were characterized on a treadmill, which may help in the identification of dogs predisposed to CCLD.

Objective: To assess joint kinematics in dogs with osteoarthritis of the hip joints during walking up an incline or down a decline and over low obstacles and to compare findings with data for nonlame dogs. Animals: 10 dogs with osteoarthritis of the hip joints (mean ± SD age, 6.95 ± 3.17 years; mean body weight, 34.33 ± 13.58 kg) and 8 nonlame dogs (3.4 ± 2.0 years; 23.6 ± 4.6 kg). Procedures: Reflective markers located on the limbs and high-speed cameras were used to record joint kinematics during walking up an incline or down a decline and over low obstacles. Maximal flexion, extension, and range of motion of the hip joints were calculated. Results: Osteoarthritis of the hip joints reduced extension of both hip joints and flexion of the contralateral hind limb, compared with flexion of the lame hind limb, during walking down a decline. Walking up an incline resulted in decreased extension of the stifle joint in both hind limbs of osteoarthritic dogs; extension was significantly decreased for the lame hind limb. During walking over low obstacles, maximal flexion of the stifle joint was increased significantly for the contralateral hind limb. Maximal flexion was increased in both tarsal joints. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Osteoarthritis of the hip joints led to complex changes in the gait of dogs, which involved more joints than the affected hip joint alone. Each exercise had specific effects on joint kinematics that must be considered when planning a rehabilitation program.

A kinematic analysis of the instant centers of rotation analysis was performed on 21 metacarpophalangeal joints from 11 horses. Manual and computerized methods were used to locate the instant center of rotation on photocopies of transparent composite tracings of a series of radiographs of each joint. The instant centers of rotation of the proximal phalanx about the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone were located consistently on or near the eminence for attachment of the collateral ligaments. The instant centers of rotation of the sesamoids about the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone were consistently located near the dorsal articular margin of the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone. Rotation of the joint as it extended caused minor variation in radiographic projection. This variation in radiographic projection limited the precision of the analysis of the instant center of rotation and prevented the identification of a single instant center of rotation or an instant center of rotation pathway for the articulation of the proximal phalanx or the proximal sesamoids with the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone. The articular surface velocity vectors determined from the instant centers of rotation indicated that the joint surfaces slide on each other. The motion of the joint caused compression at the dorsal articular margins at maximal extension and thereby limited further extension. At this degree of extension, the proximal sesamoidsarticulated only with the proximal sesamoid-metacarpal articular surface of the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone.

The impact of surgical correction of cranial cruciate ligament-deficient stifles (CCDS) on the 3-dimensional (3D) kinematics of the canine stifle has been sparsely evaluated. Tightrope (TR) cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) has been proposed to restore baseline 3D kinematics in CCDS by using isometric points. We hypothesized that TR would restore baseline 3D kinematics of the stifle in our model. Ten pelvic limbs were used with a previously validated apparatus. Three experimental conditions were evaluated: i) intact stifle, ii) cranial cruciate ligament transection (CCLt), and iii) CCLt stabilized with TR; kinematic data was recorded. Tightrope CCL in CCDS did not limit sagittal flexion. Tightrope CCL neutralized internal rotation without restoring baseline curves, but it did not restore abduction, nor did it neutralize or restore cranial translation, but it did restore latero-medial and proximo-distal translations. In our model, TR without pre-conditioning of the FiberTape strands did not restore baseline stifle 3D kinematics and residual cranial translation could result in frequent meniscal tears.