Osteochondrosis of the canine tibiotarsal joint

Osteochondrosis of the tarsus has been reported in several species, including dogs,(1,22,24,30,31,36) horses,(44) cattle,(10) pigs,(34) and humans.(9) In the dog, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) was first reported in the tarsus in 1975(31) and is presently the third most commonly affected joint.(28) Almost three quarters of cases of OCD reported in the dog affect the humeral head, followed by the distal humerus, the tarsus, and the stifle joint.(28) There have been over 100 cases of tarsal OCD reported in the literature(2,4-6,8,12-14,16,22-24,27-32,35,36,38,40,41,46,48,49) and 123 cases recorded by the Veterinary Medical Database* over the 6-year period ending in 1992.(28) Osteochondrosis of the canine tarsus produces an osteochondral defect of the medial or lateral trochlear ridge of the talus (Fig. 1). The resulting instability of the talocrural joint leads to pain, lameness, and progressive degenerative joint disease.