Case Study

ORTHO – Normal shoulder muscular and tendons in a 3 year old MN Pomeranian mix dog with lameness

This 2.5 year old MN Pomeranian mix dog presented with a history of fractures to right femur and right radius when a puppy. Now favoring left front leg

Physical Exam: Decreased muscle mass left scapula. Pain with extension and palpation of left shoulder. No obvious x-ray changes.

CBC.Chem: Pending

This 2.5 year old MN Pomeranian mix dog presented with a history of fractures to right femur and right radius when a puppy. Now favoring left front leg

Physical Exam: Decreased muscle mass left scapula. Pain with extension and palpation of left shoulder. No obvious x-ray changes.

CBC.Chem: Pending

Image Interpretation

Ultrasound of the left shoulder – The muscular portions of the biceps, supra- and infraspinatus are well delineated and regular for echogenicity and echotexture.
The distal insertion tendon of the supraspinatus muscle is even in outline and presents no echoarchitectural abnormality. No biceps impingement is noted.
The bone surface of the major tubercle is even and smooth.
The outline of the left biceps tendon is regular proximal to the and within the intertubercular groove. The tendon fibres are uniformly hyperechoic and reveal a linear pattern. There is no tendon sheath effusion. The wall of the tendon sheath is not seen. The bone surface of the intertubercular groove is even and smooth.
The tendon and insertion of the infraspinatus are within normal limits.
There is no shoulder joint effusion. As far as seen the periarticular margins of the shoulder joint present no abnormality.

DX

The ultrasonographic examination of the shoulder musculature and tendons is within normal limits

Outcome

Pathology of the biceps, supra- and infraspinatus can be ruled out as underlying cause of the lameness.
Consider shoulder joint instability/dysplasia, neurological disease or other as possible origin of the lameness and muscle atrophy