Objective comparison of a sit to stand test to the walk test for the identification of unilateral lameness caused by cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs

Abstract

Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a sit to stand test (STST) with the walk test (WT) for the identification of unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) in dogs.

Methods:
Peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) was measured on a pressure sensitive walkway (PSW), during a STST and WT and in 10 dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) and 18 healthy dogs. Data collected was used to calculate symmetry indices (SI) of ipsilateral and contralateral hindlimbs (HL), diagonal limb pairs (DLP) and ipsilateral limb pairs (ILP).

Results:
The SI of PVF of HL during the WT and STST was 100% and 90% sensitive for discriminating lame and non-lame dogs respectively. The SI of VI of HLs during the WT and STST was 100% and 50% sensitive for discriminating lame and non-lame dogs respectively. Analysis of ipsilateral and diagonal limb pairs did not improve the discrimination in either test. The time taken to collect data from the STST data was shorter than for the WT.

Clinical significance:
Whilst the STST required a shorter time for collection of data than the WT, it did not accurately identify all dogs with lameness associated with CCLD, and thus has relatively limited clinical utility in its tested form.