Thermographic imaging of police working dogs with bilateral naturally occurring hip osteoarthritis

Abstract

Background Digital thermal imaging is a physiologic, non-invasive, contactless, and non-radiating diagnostic tool that can assess a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including hip osteoarthritis (HOA). Fifty police working dogs were evaluated to compare the dorsoventral (DV) and lateral (LT) thermographic images in dogs with naturally occurring bilateral HOA. A DV, and left and right lateral LT images were obtained for each animal in six different moments. They were positioned standing in a symmetrical upright position for the DV view. Each image included the area from the last lumbar to the first coccygeal vertebrae. Each LT view was set with the greater trochanter in the centre of the image. Images were taken with a thermographic camera from a distance of 60 cm. Mean and maximal temperatures were recorded, analyzed with ANOVA, dependent samples t-test, and Spearman correlation, with P < 0.05. Results Nine hundred images were considered, collected from 30 males and 20 females, with a mean age of 6.5 ± 2.2 years and bodyweight of 26.7 ± 5.3 kg. The overall value recorded on the DV view was 25.3º ± 9.1 and 28.4º ± 2.8 on the lateral view. These were significantly different (P < 0.01) and with a low correlation (r = 0.10, P = 0.03). German Shepard dogs showed significantly lower values on all views than other breeds (P < 0.01), and heavier dogs had higher values on the lateral view. Conclusions This is the first study that describes digital thermography's diagnostic use to evaluate working dogs with naturally occurring HOA, comparing two different views. Future studies should address each one's value in the diagnosis and response to treatment of this disease.

A randomized double-blinded controlled trial on the effects of photobiomodulation therapy in dogs with osteoarthritis

“…A previous study showed that German Shepherd dogs have lower values during thermographic evaluation than the other considered breeds. 48 The animals included in this study had short hair, and some had a double coat. The breeds included were similarly distributed between groups, which may help balance these differences.…”

Moving Beyond the Limits of Detection: The Past, the Present, and the Future of Diagnostic Imaging in Canine Osteoarthritis

“…It has been used in dogs to help locate the site of OA by measuring body surface temperature ( 115 ) and was found to be capable of differentiating between normal and diseased joints ( 116 , 117 ). More recently, its use in OA identification within a working dog population has been explored ( 118 , 119 ). However, body surface temperature can be affected by hair coat characteristics ( 120 ) and by coat clipping ( 121 ), which can complicate the interpretation of the thermograms.…”

Superficial Heating Evaluation by Thermographic Imaging before and after Tecar Therapy in Six Dogs Submitted to a Rehabilitation Protocol: A Pilot Study

“…The main disadvantage is that it does not show any ability to recognize the etiology of the disease, but only the thermal alteration [1]. Current applications in veterinary medicine include neoplasia diagnosis [3], assessment of orthopedic and neurological diseases [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] as well as the effects of exercise on thermal images [13][14][15]. Indeed, internal and surface temperatures are influenced by physical exercise [14].…”