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. 2017;7(4):342-348.
doi: 10.4314/ovj.v7i4.10. Epub 2017 Dec 8.

Medical infrared imaging and orthostatic analysis to determine lameness in the pelvic limbs of dogs

Erika Fernanda V Garcia  1 , Catherine A Loughin  1 , Dominic J Marino  1 , Joseph Sackman  1 , Scott E Umbaugh  2 , Jiyuan Fu  2 , Samrut Subedi  2 , Martin L Lesser  3 , Meredith Akerman  3 , João Eduardo W Schossler  4
Affiliations

Medical infrared imaging and orthostatic analysis to determine lameness in the pelvic limbs of dogs

Erika Fernanda V Garcia et al. Open Vet J. 2017.

Abstract

Subtle lameness makes it difficult to ascertain which is the affected limb. A study was conducted to investigate a change in the thermal pattern and temperature of the thermal image of the paw print in a lame pelvic limb compared to a non-lame pelvic limb of dogs confirmed by orthostatic analysis. Fourteen client owned dogs with a unilateral pelvic limb lameness and 14 healthy employee dogs were examined and the pelvic limbs radiographed. Thermal images of the paw print were taken after each dog was kept in a static position on a foam mat for 30 seconds. Average temperatures and thermographic patterns were analyzed. Analysis was performed in a static position. The asymmetry index for each stance variable and optimal cutoff point for the peak vertical force and thermal image temperatures were calculated. Image pattern analysis revealed 88% success in differentiating the lame group, and 100% in identifying the same thermal pattern in the healthy group. The mean of the peak vertical force revealed a 10.0% difference between the left and right pelvic limb in healthy dogs and a 72.4% between the lame and non-lame limb in the lame dog group. Asymmetry index analysis revealed 5% in the healthy group and 36.2% in the lame group. The optimal cutoff point for the peak vertical force to determine lameness was 41.77% (AUC = 0.93) and for MII 0.943% (AUC = 0.72). The results of this study highlight the change in the thermal pattern of the paw print in the lame pelvic limb compared to a non-lame pelvic limb in the lame group and the healthy group. Medical infrared imaging of the paw prints can be utilized to screen for the lame limb in dogs.

Keywords: Cruciate; Infrared imaging; Lameness; Orthostatic analysis.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
(A): Thermal image of the paw print in a dog with grade 2 lameness (black arrow). (B): Thermal image of the paw print in a dog with grade 4 lameness (black arrow). Note the difference in the temperature in the paw print of the lame limb between figures 1A and 1B.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Thermal image of the paw prints in a healthy dog (L= left, R=right side).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
ROC curve for percent difference in peak force.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
ROC curve for percent difference in MII.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
ROC curves for comparison.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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