Determination of best outcome predictor in dogs with multi-limb lameness using dual force plate gait analysis

• Grant number: 19/03954-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: May 30, 2019
• End date: November 02, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Silvio Henrique de Freitas
• Grantee: Alois Foltran Müller
• Supervisor: Ursula Krotscheck
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Cornell University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/02039-5 - Viability of national (Araty®-superflex) and imported (Otoni®-Platinum) polyamide yarns as an alternative to the modified TightRope technique in the treatment of spontaneous cranial cruciate ligament insufficiency in dogs, BP.MS

Abstract

Force plate gait analysis (FPGA) is one of the most reliable ways to assess the degree of lameness. It can be caused by a series of factors, highlighting the neurological and orthopedic diseases. Within the orthopedic causes, the rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament is one of the most import, and it could be uni or bilateral. After the surgical correction of this disease, the evaluation of lameness, from the preoperative period to a full recovery of the patient, is a valuable tool to indicate the best surgical outcome over the variously available corrections, from intra and extracapsular procedures to corrective osteotomies. There are currently two large deficits in the veterinary knowledge base: firstly, it is unknown which objective outcome predictor has the highest sensitivity and specificity for lameness in dogs with bilateral disease, and secondly, how the recovery of dogs with bilateral cruciate disease differs from those with unilateral disease. Therefore, this project propose to determine the best FPGA outcome predictor for dogs with bilateral disease, to correlate the findings of FPGA with subjective outcome measures such as visual analog scales and client questionnaires to develop a validated survey for dogs with bilateral lameness and to foster important international collaborations between Cornell University and the University of São Paulo, increasing the health of companion and service dogs world-wide. (AU)