Breed Predisposition to Fragmented Coronoid Process
Fragmented coronoid process is the third developmental condition affecting the elbows of large breed dogs, particularly retrievers, rottweilers, and German shepherds. The etiology of this condition remains controversial. Originally, fragmented coronoid process was believed to be a manifestation of the osteochondrosis complex; however, pathoanatomical studies have not fully supported this contention. Fissures or fragmentation may result from abnormal stresses placed on the developing coronoid process due to conformational abnormalities of the elbow. The medial coronoid process is most often involved. The disease is seen more frequently in male dogs and is often bilateral. A hereditary basis for this condition has been suggested.
The advantages of knowing which breeds of dogs are at increased risk for Fragmented Coronoid Process are evident. It can heighten awareness among breed club members, helping them make decisions about how to spend their foundation dollars, and it can lead to more emphasis being placed on methods to diagnose and genetically screen for the disease in that breed before animals are bred and genes are recycled to the gene pool.
Breeds at Risk for Fragmented Coronoid Process
| Risk Factor |
Breed |
No. of Cases |
Controls |
Odds Ratio* |
95% Confidence Interval |
|
| Fragmented Coronoid Process |
|
Total |
576 |
2,880 |
|
|
|
Basset hound |
10 |
16 |
19.5 |
9.9–38.3 |
|
Bernese mountain dog |
9 |
2 |
140.1 |
65.2–301.4 |
|
Bouvier des Flandres |
5 |
8 |
19.5 |
8.1–46.9 |
|
Bullmastiff |
10 |
8 |
38.9 |
19.8–76.5 |
|
Chow chow |
8 |
15 |
16.6 |
8.0–34.7 |
|
German shepherd dog |
185 |
132 |
43.7 |
30.1–63.2 |
|
Golden retriever |
33 |
188 |
5.5 |
3.3–9.2 |
|
Gordon setter |
7 |
11 |
19.8 |
9.2–42.8 |
|
Irish wolfhound |
6 |
2 |
93.4 |
39.6–220.3 |
|
Labrador retriever |
129 |
196 |
20.5 |
13.9–30.3 |
|
Mastiff |
14 |
9 |
48.4 |
26.3–89.1 |
|
Newfoundland |
7 |
20 |
10.9 |
5.0–24.0 |
|
Rottweiler |
66 |
57 |
36.1 |
23.6–55.2 |
|
Saint Bernard |
12 |
7 |
53.4 |
28.1–101.6 |
|
Mixed-breed dog |
21 |
654 |
1.0 |
|
| † Because only statistically significant ORs are included in the
Table, the sum of cases for each disease is not necessarily equal to the
total. |
|
References:
1. Breed Susceptibility for Developmental Orthopedic Diseases in Dogs
Elizabeth LaFond, DVM, Diplomate ACVS, Gert J. Breur, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVS and 'Connie C. Austin, MPH, PhD
|