Center of pressure and ground reaction forces in Labrador and Golden Retrievers with and without hip dysplasia at 4, 8, and 12 months of age

Abstract

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a common orthopedic disease. Owing to the importance of CHD in affected dogs, both clinically and for their use in breeding or work, increasing attention is being given to early diagnosis. Therefore, early clinical and radiological examination of young animals is increasingly in demand, whereas common CHD screening according to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is usually performed at the age of 12 months or even older in Europe. One way to objectively evaluate gait pattern is to measure the ground reaction forces (GRFs) and center of pressure (COP). In this study, we used a pressure plate to evaluate the GRF and COP parameters for 32 Labrador Retrievers and 17 Golden Retrievers at 4, 8, and 12 months of age. The dogs also underwent radiological examination of the hip joints following the FCI rules at the age of at least 12 months, which were grouped as sound (FCI grade A or B) and diseased (FCI grade C or worse). The results revealed significantly higher COP values in both breeds in the diseased limb groups at any measurement point during walking, with the most pronounced results obtained at 8 months of age. Furthermore, COP values during walking were significantly higher at 4 months than at 8 and 12 months in both the sound and diseased limb groups, indicating an increased stability of the gait pattern. Except for COP-Speed, the values of all COP parameters were higher during walking than during trotting at 4 months of age (i.e., COP-Speed was higher when trotting), indicating that the 4-beat gait in walk is more difficult to control for puppies than the 2-beat gait in trot. Overall, our results support the early evaluation of CHD in growing animals using non-invasive methods.

External mechanical perturbations challenge postural stability in dogs

“…Therefore, the ability to restore balance is directly influenced by the position of the COP prior to perturbation (35). The COP can be measured easily using force and pressure measurement plates (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20).…”

“…Previous evaluations in veterinary medicine were performed during static posturography, that is, during quiet standing with (11-16, 22, 24, 31) and without challenging PS (23), and during gait analysis in normal locomotion (10,20,21) and different tasks (17,18). Moreover, the COP of the body (11, 14-16, 22, 23, 31) and that within the paws (10,12,13,(17)(18)(19)(20)) can be measured. Some measurements are conducted with the animal standing on a plate with all feet to calculate the body COP (11,16,22,23,31), whereas others evaluate it only between the forelimbs (11,14,15,31) or hindlimbs (11,31).…”

“…Previous evaluations in veterinary medicine were performed during static posturography, that is, during quiet standing with ( 11–16 , 22 , 24 , 31 ) and without challenging PS ( 23 ), and during gait analysis in normal locomotion ( 10 , 20 , 21 ) and different tasks ( 17 , 18 ). Moreover, the COP of the body ( 11 , 14–16 , 22 , 23 , 31 ) and that within the paws ( 10 , 12 , 13 , 17–20 ) can be measured.…”

The Effect of Therapeutic Exercise on Body Weight Distribution, Balance, and Stifle Function in Dogs following Stifle Injury

“…Carrillo et al [ 17 ] demonstrated a higher sway in lame dogs with CCL rupture and elbow dysplasia compared to healthy ones; hence, muscle strength could be of importance for balance control in dogs with stifle injury. Recent studies [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ] measured postural sway by observing changes in the center of pressure (COP), using force or pressure plates, in both the mediolateral and craniocaudal directions. Lutonsky et al [ 19 ] used three-dimensional circular movements to challenge standing balance in healthy dogs and found a significant increase in multiple COP parameters with greater movement in the mediolateral direction than craniocaudal.…”

“…Lutonsky et al [ 19 ] used three-dimensional circular movements to challenge standing balance in healthy dogs and found a significant increase in multiple COP parameters with greater movement in the mediolateral direction than craniocaudal. Dogs with arthrosis of the stifle joint have shown an increase in mediolateral movements compared to healthy dogs [ 21 ], while dogs with osteoarthritis of the elbow or hip joint indicated compensatory changes in the COP within the paws [ 20 ].…”