Evaluation of the spine in chondrodystrophic dogs using kinetics, kinematics and thermography

Abstract

Chondrodystrophic dogs present anatomical characteristics that predispose the presentation of diseases in the spine. The intervertebral discs are complex structures which are located between the vertebral bodies and are the main joints of the spine. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a normal process that occurs with aging, this degenerative process leads to a prominence of the nucleus pulposus along with the anulus fibrosus, and finally it ends with the dorsal protrusion of the intervertebral disc know as Hansen type I and Type II. 30 chondrodystrophic dogs or chondrodystrophic mixed breed dogs will be included in the study, dogs will be divided in two groups. Group I - 15 Healthy Dogs and Group II - 15 Dogs with intervertebral disc disease. Physical and neurological examination will be performed and the age, sex, body weight, body condition score, duration of clinical signs and any medical therapy administrated prior to evaluation will be recorded. Laboratory test (blood and platelet count, renal profile, liver profile, cardiac evaluation), imaging of the cervical, thoracolumbar and sacral spine, computerized tomography, thermographic evaluation, kinetic and kinematic analysis will be performed. For thermographic evaluation, a thermographic camera will be used and dorsal and lateral view will be taken and the region of interest (ROI) will be calculated. After the acquisition of the thermographic images, computerized tomography of the entire length of the spine of each animal will be performed. For the kinetic analysis, a pressure sensitive walkway will be used and 5 valid trials of each animal on the walkway with a maximum of 20 trials will be analyzed. A single assessment will be performed for Group I, and for Groups II it will be performed a T0 (T0= time of return of ambulation) and Tf (Tf= 30 days after return of ambulation) assessments. The analysis and calculation of the parameters will be made from the evaluation of the graphics and the values generated by the system from a software. The values correspond to the parameters of peak vertical force (PFV) expressed in Newtons, the vertical impulse (IV) expressed in Newtons/second, the stance and balance time (TA) expressed in seconds for each limb. For the kinematic analysis, a series of 8 high-speed motion capture cameras will be used. Kinematics analysis will report the joint angle of movement for the joints of the forelimbs and hindlimbs. The values of maximum extension, flexion, amplitude and speed will be reported and the means will be compared between the groups I and II in all the kinematic test as well as the values generated from the kinetic and thermographic analysis. (AU)