Lameness in Dogs & Tendonitis

Tendons are the tissues that connect muscle to bone.

Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons that causes lameness in dogs. The most common tendons affected are the biceps tendon (front leg) and the supraspinatus tendon (shoulder). It can be difficult to diagnose, but there are several treatment options.

Risk Factors

Racing greyhounds have a higher risk for tendonitis.

Medium to large breed dogs, especially those who are very active (i.e., agility dogs, racing dogs and working dogs) are at highest risk for tendonitis.

Causes

Dogs who compete in agility events are in the high risk group.

Tendonitis can be acute (caused by an injury) or chronic (caused by repeated, high impact activity, especially running and jumping).

Signs

A dog with tendonitis will be lame on the affected front leg.

Most dogs with tendonitis will present with front leg lameness. It can be constant or intermittant. The leg will be painful and the dog will have limited range of motion. Signs will worsen after exercise.

Diagnosis

Soft tissue damage doesn't show up well on radiographs.

Diagnosis by radiography can be difficult because tendonitis is a soft tissue injury. Other diagnostic tests like ultrasound, arthroscopy and MRI can be more useful.

Treatment Options

A dog with tendonitis may need to be confined to a crate for 4 to 6 weeks.

Treatment for tendonitis might depend on the severity. Medical management including rest for several weeks, cold and heat therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs may be enough for a minor case. Some therapies used for cases that don't respond well to simple medical management include laser therapy, ultrasound, cross fiber massage, magnetic therapy and acupuncture.

References

• Western Veterinary Conference: Canine Shoulder Lameness
• Veterinary Holistic and Rehabilitation Center: Injuries Treated