title: Can owners assess outcome following treatment of canine cruciate ligament deficiency?
abstract: Forty-seven owners of 48 dogs surgically treated for cranial cruciate ligament deficiency were asked to assess the outcome of treatment at one year postsurgery. A standard visual analogue scale assessment tool was used in all cases and owners were asked to score a variety of generic and disease-specific features. The reliability and responsiveness of the assessment tool were estimated and found to be acceptable; generic features, such as 'level of disability', showed the greatest reliability and responsiveness. The results of assessments by owners were compared to assessments by a veterinary surgeon but few significant correlations were found. Assessments by owners appear to be a useful outcome measure in this disease but are unlikely to be directly comparable to assessments by a veterinary surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Innes
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003625:Data Collection; D004285:Dogs; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D013264:Stifle / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018634:Veterinarians