🔍 Key Findings

• Aiming device provided comparable trajectory accuracy to fluoroscopy, especially in right limbs (1.9° vs. 3.4°, p = .0128).
• Eccentricity (deviation from condylar center) was lower with fluoroscopy (3.1 mm vs 4.2 mm, p = .0017), making fluoroscopy more precise.
• Odds of joint infringement were 8× higher with the aiming device, though not statistically significant (p = .0575).
• Residents had greater screw trajectory deviation than diplomates (p = .0366), highlighting impact of experience.
• Aiming device procedures took less time than fluoroscopy in some scenarios, particularly for right limbs with right-handed surgeons.
• Fluoroscopic procedures had more pin/drill attempts, increasing risk of glove puncture and potential aseptic breaks.
• Mean deviation angles in both groups (<3.5°) were within acceptable range to avoid intracondylar fracture gap.
• Cadaver model used large-breed, healthy adult dogs, not small-breed immature dogs, limiting generalizability.

🔍 Key Findings

• Both free-hand probing (FHP) and 3D-printed guides (3DPG) enabled accurate spinal pin placement, with 87.5% vs 96.4% of pins graded as optimal (Grade I).
• 3DPGs had fewer intraoperative deviations (0/56 pins) compared to 6/56 with the FHP technique.
• No pins using either method fully breached the medial vertebral canal (Grade IIb) — a critical safety outcome.
• Pins placed using 3DPGs required less time overall (mean 2.6 min) than FHP (mean 4.5 min).
• FHP required specific experience and has a learning curve, whereas 3DPG use requires CAD software and 3D printing access.
• FHP had more lateral canal violations (Grade IIIa: 4/56 vs 0/56 for 3DPG), suggesting slightly less precision.
• Both techniques were safe, and all deviations were recognized and corrected intraoperatively.
• 3DPGs may offer practical advantages in clinical settings lacking surgical expertise, while FHP allows immediate intervention without 3D printing delay.

🔍 Key Findings

• Compared unilateral plating (UP) vs orthogonal plating (OP) with 2.0, 2.4, and 3.0 mm plates (OP2.0, OP2.4, OP3.0).
• Model: acetal homopolymer (Delrin) rod with 29 mm fixed fracture gap, loaded axially (4–196 N, 90,000 cycles).
• OP constructs had 2.5–4.1x higher strength and 3.0–4.2x higher stiffness than UP constructs (p < .0002).
• UP had 3.5–4.1x higher gap strain than OP groups (p < .0075).
• All OP groups exceeded 1000 N max load before failure (vs 424 N for UP).
• Greater implant size in OP groups further increased performance.
• All constructs survived fatigue loading; 3.5 mm plates showed deformation, especially UP; OP plates remained intact.

🔍 Key Findings

• 42% of dogs (33/78) treated with Arthrex 3.5 mm STS during TPLO developed radiographic TCTF
• TCTFs occurred exclusively distal to the osteotomy
• 14% of screws (36/250) distal to the osteotomy were associated with TCTFs
• 6% of dogs with TCTFs developed major complications (e.g., complete tibial fracture requiring surgical revision)
• Angulation of cortical STS screws, especially in the distal plate holes, was a key contributor to complications
• Locking screws were also involved, but cortical screws angled improperly were overrepresented in serious outcomes
• Revision recommendations included preemptive fixation for large TCTFs or angulated screw placements
• Use of non-self-tapping screws (NSTS) previously showed a <1% TCTF rate, supporting higher risk with STS

🔍 Key Findings

Study population: 73 hips from 60 dogs undergoing cementless THR.
Methods evaluated:

• ACVD/ACOLL (acetabular circle on VD or OLL view)
• ALVD/ALOLL (acetabular line)
• FHCVD/FHCOLL/FHCCCHB (femoral head circle)

• Intraobserver repeatability and interobserver consistency were excellent for ACVD and ACOLL.
• FHC methods consistently underestimated actual cup size by 2.4–3.6 mm.
• AC and AL methods had low bias (±0.5 mm) and better predictive value.
• OA severity negatively affected the accuracy of all measurements (p < .05).
• Highest predictive accuracy was ~49% using ACVD with rounding down protocol.

🔍 Key Findings

• Dogs with MPL had significantly shallower femoral trochlear grooves compared to controls, based on CT-measured femoral trochlear groove angle (FTGA).
• FTGA >134° in small breeds (SB) and >128° in medium/large breeds (MLB) were associated with MPL and can serve as surgical thresholds for considering trochleoplasty.
• FTA and FTRIA measurements were less reliable, showing lower sensitivity/specificity than FTGA.
• Inter-rater reliability for FTGA was excellent (ICC > 0.9), supporting its use in clinical decision-making.
• FTGA differed significantly between SB and MLB dogs, suggesting anatomical variation influences MPL predisposition.
• Dogs with MPL but with FTGA below threshold may not benefit from trochleoplasty, supporting individualized surgical planning.
• CT provides more precise and reproducible evaluation of trochlear morphology than radiography or ultrasound.
• The study introduces a CT protocol using P25 and P50 reference points for consistent FTGA measurement.

🔍 Key Findings

• Cook system had good reliability across all cases (ICC = 0.848), even when complications, sequelae, and failure-to-cure were included.
• aCD system had excellent reliability when excluding sequelae/failure-to-cure cases (ICC = 0.975) but only moderate reliability when including them (ICC = 0.620).
• Majority of complications (60–63%) were graded as Grade 3 in the aCD system, corresponding to surgical or anesthetic intervention.
• Cook system classified most cases (78–81%) as major complications.
• Assessors had difficulty distinguishing sequelae from Grade 1 complications, and failure-to-cure from Grades 1–2, reducing aCD reliability.
• The aCD system offers more resolution (5 grades vs. 3) and less subjectivity through objective definitions.
• Novel terminology (e.g., sequelae, failure to cure) in the aCD system may hinder its uptake without proper training.
• Reclassifying expected events (e.g., swelling, bruising) as sequelae could significantly reduce reported complication rates in other studies.

🔍 Key Findings

80 toy breed dogs with surgically repaired transverse radius/ulna fractures were analyzed.
Fracture gap in the caudal cortex was present in 46% of cases.
Implant failure rate:

• 27% in cases with fracture gap
• 2% in cases without fracture gap

Fracture gap significantly associated with implant failure:

• OR = 23.0, 95% CI: 2.7–197.9, p = 0.004

Absence of external coaptation also associated with increased implant failure risk:

• OR = 10.1, 95% CI: 1.1–89.6, p = 0.04

Prolonged external coaptation (>1 week) linked to non-implant complications (skin wounds, osteopenia, osteomyelitis):

• OR = 5.4, p = 0.04

Plate thickness, type, open screw holes, and working length were not statistically significant predictors of implant failure after multivariable analysis.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 39 dogs (mostly post-trauma) with either forelimb or hindlimb amputations (high vs low)
• No significant difference in %BW distribution between high vs low forelimb amputations
• In hindlimb amputees:
  • High amputations → more overload on contralateral hindlimb (p = 0.01)
  • Low amputations → more even load split, slight preference for contralateral hindlimb and ipsilateral forelimb
• Values derived from pressure-sensitive walkway confirmed with statistical significance
• Useful implications for prosthesis selection and rehabilitation planning

🔍 Key Findings

• Bone-to-tendon plate fixation allowed successful stabilization of a highly comminuted calcaneus fracture in a dog with fragments too small for traditional fixation.
• The plate was sutured to the common calcaneal tendon using a figure-of-8 pattern, bypassing the need for screw fixation into small proximal fragments.
• Radiographic union was achieved by 17 weeks, though considered delayed, with the dog returning to normal function by 36 weeks post-op.
• A second surgery was required to replace the tendon-anchored plate with a calcaneus-only plate due to skin ulceration and implant prominence.
• Implant-associated infection was suspected; cultures confirmed Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, managed with doxycycline and clindamycin.
• Use of human placental matrix (hPM) and both autogenous and allogenic bone grafts supported healing, though their specific contribution remains uncertain.
• Postoperative complications included delayed union and skin ulceration, emphasizing challenges of implant design and soft tissue management.
• This is the first report of using a bone-to-tendon plate for a calcaneus fracture in dogs and demonstrates its potential in cases where traditional methods are not viable.