Evaluation of anticollagen type I antibody titers in synovial fluid of both stifle joints and the left shoulder joint of dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate anticollagen type I antibodies in synovial fluid of the affected stifle joint, the contralateral stifle joint, and the left shoulder joint of dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) rupture during an extended period of 12 to 18 months.


METHODS
13 client-owned dogs with CrCL rupture and 2 sham-operated dogs.


METHODS
All dogs were examined and arthrocentesis of all 3 joints was performed every 6 months after surgery. Synovial fluid samples were tested for anticollagen type I antibodies by use of an ELISA.


RESULTS
Dogs with partial CrCL rupture had higher antibody titers than dogs with complete rupture. Six of 13 dogs ruptured the contralateral CrCL during the study, whereby higher antibody titers were found for the stifle joints than for the shoulder joint. Seronegative dogs or dogs with extremely low antibody titers and 2 dogs with high antibody titers did not sustain a CrCL rupture in the contralateral stifle joint.


CONCLUSIONS
In most dogs that had a CrCL rupture of the contralateral stifle joint, a distinct antibody titer gradient toward the stifle joints was detected, suggesting that there was a local inflammatory process in these joints. However, only a small number of sham-operated dogs were used to calculate the cutoff values used to determine the anticollagen type I antibody titers in these patients. Synovial fluid antibodies against collagen type I alone do not initiate CrCL rupture because not all dogs with high antibody titers sustained a CrCL rupture in the contralateral stifle joint.
de Bruin
Tanya
T
Department of Diagnostic Imaging of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
de Rooster
Hilde
H
van Bree
Henri
H
Cox
Eric
E
D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000276:immunology*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000276:immunology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000662:veterinary; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000662:veterinary; D013264:Stifle / Q000276:immunology*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D024042:Collagen Type I