title: Effect of single dose radiation therapy on weight-bearing lameness in dogs with elbow osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if a single low dose of radiation therapy in dogs with osteoarthritis of the elbow joint was associated with a detectable improvement in their lameness and pain as documented by force platform gait analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cohort longitudinal observational study, five Labrador Retrievers with lameness due to elbow osteoarthritis that was unresponsive to medical treatment were removed from all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications. A single treatment of radiation therapy delivering 10 Gray was performed on the affected elbow joint(s). Force platform gait analysis was used to assess the ground reaction forces of a limb affected with elbow osteoarthritis both before and after radiation therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences occurred in the weight-bearing on an affected limb with elbow osteoarthritis after radiation therapy at weeks six and 14. Change due to treatment was particularly apparent in dogs with unilateral elbow osteoarthritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administering a single low dose of radiation therapy may have a short-term benefit in dogs with elbow osteoarthritis, which is similar to the evidence supporting the use of radiation therapy in horses with orthopaedic disease.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Amy Kapatkin, University of California-Davis, Surgical & Radiological Sciences, 2112 Tupper Hall, Davis, California 95616, United States, Phone: +1 530 752 6787, Fax: +1 530 752 6042, Email: askapatkin@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kapatkin
authors.forename: Barbro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nordquist
authors.forename: Tanya C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Maureen A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theon
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005684:Gait; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016474:Weight-Bearing
keywords: Elbow; force platform gait analysis; osteoarthritis; radiotherapy