The biomechanical demands placed on the canine forelimbs are considerable and complex. Diagnosis of forelimb lameness is often challenging, requiring a systematic and anatomically detailed approach. This discussion focuses on methods and diagnostics to improve your forelimb evaluation.Gait observation plays an essential role in improving your capability, accuracy, and efficiency of forelimb localization. Weight distribution between limbs is altered with weight shifting to unload painful limbs. Postural changes provide clues to localization. For example, cervical ventroflexion is suggestive of cervical disease, whereas cervical extension suggests caudal weight shifting, as commonly noted in patients with bilateral elbow pain. Abnormal forelimb motion is a tipoff for several conditions. Incomplete elbow extension suggests elbow disease, for instance, and limb circumduction suggests infraspinatus muscle contracture. Head carriage, joint extension, limb alignment, foot contact patterns, and limb motion pathways are visual clues to better understanding of mobility and function.
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