Musculoskeletal problems are a group of conditions that can affect the bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments in animals. Certain breeds seem to be predisposed to these conditions.
Hip Dysplasia is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders seen in dogs. It is a developmental problem thought to be hereditary but precise genes are still being identified and linked. It is recognized as the leading cause of hind limb lameness in dogs over one year of age and is most commonly seen on X-rays after 4 months, 7 months, and 12 months old. Other associated clinical signs include an abnormal gait; arthritic joints; chronic stiffness; soreness or lameness when rising from lying or sitting positions such as getting up off a sofa.
Musculoskeletal problems in cats are less common than dogs and usually present as lameness from hip dysplasia, fractures, or ruptured ligaments.
Musculoskeletal problems can also affect horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets. In rabbits, the disorders are most commonly seen are intervertebral disc rupture in young animals, slipped capital femoral epiphysis in young animals, and osteoarthritis of any joint especially knees; elbow dysplasia (chondrodysplasia) affects one or both elbows; luxating patella (slipping kneecaps) is also seen but it is difficult to know if it is genetic because many other factors may be involved such as trauma. Some musculoskeletal conditions in pet rabbits are common in the wild; specifically, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), which is a disease of young rabbits caused by a defect in connective tissue, and causes arthritis or inflammation of the patella. In ferrets, it is often seen as joint laxity.
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