CASE 30
 

SIGNALMENT: 7 1/2 month old male Labrador retriever. HISTORY: Acute left rear lameness after being struck by a go-cart. DIAGNOSIS: Soft tissue swelling and pain noted in the stifle joint. Some pain in the left hock joint also. Radiographs were obtained by the referring veterinarian and were suggestive of a tibial tubercle partial avulsion fracture along the physis.

Figure 1 Lateral view of both the left and the right stifle joints for comparison. The right (R) is normal.

Repeat radiographs were taken with the right knee for comparison (Figure 1). The left tibial tubercle is not noticeably different than the right. There is a minor Salter type I fracture of the proximal tibial physis which is noted by comparing the caudal border of the proximal physis in each tibia. Conservative treatment is indicated given this minimal displacement. ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Thank you to Dr. Barbara Miller, Chimney Hills Veterinary Hospital, for this case referral.      CASE ARCHIVES: Click on Case Archives to access a list of past case features.