Musculoskeletal system – Dogs – EBVM in Practice

Musculoskeletal system – dogs

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease
Elbow disease
Foot disease
Fractures
Hip disease
Immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) and septic arthritis
Medial patella luxation (MPL)
Osteoarthritis
Shoulder disease
Spinal disease

ACVIM	American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
AVJ	Australian Veterinary Journal
BBV	BestBETs for Vets, Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine
GREPAC	Groupe de Recherche en Pharmacologie Animale du Québec
VE	Veterinary Evidence, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Knowledge

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Factors influencing stifle stability in canine limb press models: A systematic review and meta-analysis – Chaves et al. (2025)

The association between gonadectomy and timing of gonadectomy, and the risk of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis – Low et al. (2024)

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Early neutering and the risk of CCL rupture in dogs – VE (2024)

Conservative treatment versus lateral fabellotibial suture and time to recovery in dogs with CCL rupture – VE (2023)

Dogs undergoing a tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) compared versus not undergoing a TPLO and the future risk of developing osteosarcoma – VE (2025)

Low level laser therapy (LLLT) and speed of radiographic healing for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture undergoing TPLO surgery – VE (2025)

Meniscal release versus meniscectomy for treatment of meniscal tearwith concurrent CCL disease in dogs – VE (2020)

Rehabilitation and outcomes in non-surgically managed CCL disease in dogs – VE (2021)

The use of ultrasonography for detection of meniscal damage in dogs – VE (2019)

Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) versus lateral fabellar suture in larger dogs with CCL rupture – VE (2019)

Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) versus lateral fabellar suture in small dogs with CCL rupture – VE (2020)

Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) versus tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for the treatment of cranial cruciate disease – BBV (2020)

Elbow disease

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Surgical treatment for severe elbow osteoarthritis in dogs – Yu et al. (2025)

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Conservative versus arthroscopic management of canine medial coronoid disease and outcomes – VE (2025)

Closed reduction and conservative management versus open reduction and surgery and outcomes in dogs with traumatic elbow luxation – VE (2017)

Foot disease

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Surgical excision versus extirpation of pedal corns in greyhounds and resolution of lameness – VE (2020)

Fractures

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Bone morphogenetic proteins with internal fixation and fracture healing – VE (2025)

Efficacy of omental graft to facilitate canine radial fracture repair – VE (2023)

Internal versus external fixation for diaphyseal tibial and fibular fractures in skeletally immature dogs – VE (2024)

Orthopaedic wire versus suture for sternotomy closure in large breed dogs undergoing a median sternotomy – VE (2018)

Surgical stabilisation versus external coaptation for treatment of metacarpal or metatarsal bone fractures in dogs VE (2025)

Hip disease

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Old dogs versus young dogs and predisposition to femoral fracture during total hip replacement – VE (2016)

Total hip replacement versus femoral head ostectomy for dogs with hip dysplasia and pain relief – VE (2022)

Immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) and septic arthritis

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Corticosteroids versus other immunosuppressive agents in dogs with type I IMPA – VE (2023)

Joint lavage and antimicrobial therapy versus antimicrobial therapy alone in the treatment of juvenile canine spontaneous or haematogenous septic arthritis – VE (2025)

Medial patella luxation (MPL)

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Block trochleoplasty versus wedge trochleoplasty in dogs with MPL – VE (2022)

Osteoarthritis

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Systematic review and meta-analysis of enriched therapeutic diets and nutraceuticals in canine and feline osteoarthritis – GREPAC (2022)

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Cannabidiol (CBD) in addition to current treatment for pain reduction in canine osteoarthritis – BBV (2022)

Intra-articular allogenic mesenchymal stem cell therapy in dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2022)

Intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) reduce clinical signs of lameness and pain compared to a placebo in dogs with osteoarthritis – AVJ (2025)

Concurrent laser treatment versus NSAIDs alone in dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2025)

Marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) as an adjunct to a non-steroidal inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy versus NSAID therapy alone for dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2022)

Meloxicam versus carprofen for reducing patient discomfort in dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2020)

Nutraceuticals versus carprofen in dogs with osteoarthritis – BBV (2020)

Oral cannabidiol oil in addition to conventional pain medications to help reduce pain and improve locomotion in dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2025)

Dose reduction of meloxicam in dogs with osteoarthritis – BBV (2016/2022)

Robenacoxib versus meloxicam and patient comfort in dogs with a degenerative joint process – VE (2016)

Safety and effectiveness of long-term treatment with bedinvetmab in providing analgesia in dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2023)

Tramadol alone in providing analgesia for dogs with osteoarthritis – VE (2021)

Tramadol in addition to NSAIDs for canine osteoarthritis – BBV (2018)

Shoulder disease

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Medical versus surgical management of medial shoulder instability in dogs – VE (2020)

Tenotomy or tenodesis versus conservative management of bicipital tenosynovitis in dogs – VE (2016)

Spinal disease

CONSENSUS STATEMENTS

Diagnosis and management of acute canine thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion – ACVIM (2022)

CRITICALLY APPRAISED TOPICS

Clinical outcomes of surgical versus medical therapy in dogs suffering from degenerative lumbosacral stenosis – VE (2023)

Non-contrast CT versus MRI for the diagnosis of intervertebral disc extrusion in dogs – VE (2021)

Passive range of motion exercises and postsurgical recovery in canine intervertebral disc disease – VE (2023)

Use of acupuncture in dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion and clinical recovery – VE (2024)