title: Effects of intramuscular administration of glycosaminoglycan polysulfates on signs of incipient hip dysplasia in growing pups.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that treatment of growing, susceptible (to hip dysplasia) pups by IM administration of glycosaminoglycan polysulfates would mitigate the signs of incipient hip dysplasia. In 1 experiment, 7 pups, selected at random from 2 litters, were administered glycosaminoglycan polysulfates (2.5 mg/kg of body weight, IM) twice weekly, and 7 control pups from the same litters were given sterile buffered 0.9% saline solution from the age of 6 weeks to 8 months. Hip joints were examined by radiography, with pups in the standard, limbs-extended position. At 8 months of age, all pups in this experiment did not manifest femoral head subluxation radiographically. The Norberg angle, a measure of coxofemoral congruity, improved from a mean +/- SEM value of 102 degrees +/- 1 degrees in controls to 106 degrees +/- 1 degrees in treated pups (P = 0.008). Pups were not subjected to necropsy. In the second experiment, 8 pups were selected at random from 2 litters and were administered 5 mg of glycosaminoglycan polysulfates/kg, IM, twice weekly from 6 weeks to 8 months of age. Similarly, 8 control pups were administered saline solution. At 8 months of age, hip joints were examined by radiography with pups in the standard position; at necropsy, intra-articular tissues were evaluated macroscopically and biochemically. Of 8 treated pups, none had subluxation radiographically, whereas 4 of 8 control dogs had femoral head subluxation. Mean Norberg angle on the radiographs was 109.7 degrees +/- 1.6 degrees for the treated group and was 101.5 degrees +/- 1.6 degrees for controls, representing a mean improvement in coxofemoral congruity of 8.2 degrees in the treated pups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lust
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burton-Wurster
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000254:growth & development; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006619:Hip Dysplasia, Canine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time / Q000662:veterinary; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C013786:A73025