An 8-month-old, entire, male, 32-kg golden retriever dog was presented with a grade 4/5 right hindlimb lameness. No history of trauma or injury was noted and the clinical symptoms had appeared suddenly.
A computed tomography examination of the hindlimbs was performed, and changes in the right stifle joint included moderate joint effusion, synovial thickening, a detached fragment from the medial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle and concurrent changes of the condylar bone. The cortical bone of that area appeared damaged and had lost its smooth margins A cranial cruciate ligament avulsion was later confirmed by arthroscopy. Osteochondrosis dissecans was confirmed histopathologically, based on chondral necrosis and a clear fissure evident in the fragment.
Osteochondrosis dissecans is associated with cartilage and bone changes in growing animals. There are known anatomical predilection sites for development of osteochondrosis, one of which is the lateral condyle of the femur.
This is the first reported case where the dislodged bone fragment is also the point of origin for the cranial crucial ligament.
