Survival of the Contralateral Cruciate Ligament in Dogs with Unilateral Rupture
Author Information
Author(s): Peter Muir, Zeev Schwartz, Sarah Malek, Abigail Kreines, Sady Y. Cabrera, Nicole J. Buote, Jason A. Bleedorn, Susan L. Schaefer, Gerianne Holzman, Zhengling Hao
Primary Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine
Hypothesis
Some dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture may be protected from the risk of subsequent contralateral rupture.
Conclusion
Subsequent contralateral CrCLR is common in client-owned dogs, with a median ligament survival time of 947 days.
Supporting Evidence
- 54% of dogs developed subsequent contralateral rupture within the study period.
- Median survival time for the contralateral ligament was 947 days.
- Increasing age was associated with increased contralateral CrCL survival.
- Increasing tibial plateau angle decreased contralateral ligament survival.
- Neutered dogs had reduced contralateral ligament survival.
Takeaway
Dogs can hurt their knee ligaments without obvious injury, and many will hurt the other knee later. This study looked at how long the second ligament lasts after the first one is hurt.
Methodology
A longitudinal study examining survival of the contralateral CrCL in client-owned dogs with unilateral CrCLR, comparing a large control population and a treated group.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective nature of data collection and the influence of prior treatments.
Limitations
Limited phenotypic and clinical status data were available for each dog, and the influence of NSAID medication on CrCL survival could not be determined.
Participant Demographics
Dogs with unilateral CrCLR, including various breeds and ages, with a median age of 5.2 years in the treatment group.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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