Sonography of the Soft Tissue Structures of the Canine Tarsus

Abstract

Currently, there are no available anatomic descriptions of the soft tissue structures that are visible with ultrasound in the canine tarsus. Eight cadaver hindlimbs and 10 clinically normal dogs (15-37 kg) were examined with ultrasound to establish which structures could be visualized in normal dogs. The structures always identified included the long digital extensor tendon, the tibialis cranialis tendon, the joint space, and the three bellies of the extensor digitum brevis muscle on the cranial/dorsal aspect of the tarsus. The lateral digital extensor tendon and the peroneus longus tendon were identified as a single structure on the lateral aspect of the tarsus. The caudal/plantar approach allowed identification of the calcaneal tendon, the deep and superficial digital flexor tendons, the plantar ligament, and the lumbricales and interosseus muscles. The medial collateral ligament can be identified on the medial tarsus of larger dogs. This technique has proved useful in the diagnosis of soft tissue injuries of the canine tarsus, and clinical examples of tibialis cranialis tendinopathy, deep digital flexor tendinopathy, fibrosis surrounding the medial collateral ligament and extent of invasion of a tarsal hemangiosarcoma are described.

Normal Radiographic and Ultrasonographic Appearance of the Adult Dromedary Camel Tarsus (One Humped Camel)

“…The normal appearance of the soft tissue structures of the tarsus has been reported in horses (Mettenleiter, ; Dik, ; Whitcomb, ; Vilar et al., ), cattle (Flury, ) and dog (Caine et al., ). In this study, the normal ultrasonographic anatomy of the tarsal region in adult dromedary camel was described.…”

A História Da Ultrassonografia Veterinária Em Pequenos Animais

“…Ainda quanto ao sistema nervoso, há relatos recentes da descrição anatômica do plexo braquial, assim como de tecidos moles adjacentes ao carpo de cães (Caine et al, 2009).…”

Evaluation of Achilles Tendon Injuries with Findings from Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Canines – 43 Cases

“…Meutstege proposed in 1993 a classification for canine Achilles tendon injuries based on the localisation of lesions and gross pathology, where type I is a complete rupture, type IIa affects the musculotendinous junction, type IIb has an intact paratendon, type IIc is a GT avulsion with intact SDFT and type III tendinosis and/or peritendinitis (Meutstege, 1993). When there is a complete disruption of the Achilles tendon apparatus the dog will be initially non-weight bearing and a swelling may be noted at the point of the tarsus (calcaneus) (Caine et al, 2009;Cervi et al, 2010;Spinella et al, 2010). In some cases, a skin lesion/laceration may be evident and there may be a palpable tendon defect (Vaughan, 1981).…”

“…A more specific study was repeated in 2005 by Lamb (Lamb et al, 2005) where detailed evaluation of the canine Achilles tendon was performed on greyhound cadavers compared to dissected specimens. A few years later, characterisation of the soft tissue structures of the canine tarsus in medium to large breed dogs was obtained by Caine (Caine et al, 2009). An additional ultrasonic study has been performed by Rivers (Rivers, 1997) to preoperatively evaluate canine Achilles tendon injury in a series of six cases with surgical confirmation of the diagnosis.…”

“…The Achilles tendon, or common calcanean tendon, is made of three components (three separate tendons made of the tendinous insertion of five muscles attaching to the calcaneal tuberosity): (1) the gastrocnemius tendon (GT), (2) the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and (3)(4)(5) the common tendon (CT, combined tendons of gracilis, semitendinosus and biceps femoris) (Evans et al, 2013;Johnson, 2005). The GT is responsible for tarsal extension and inserts on the proximal dorsal surface of the calcaneus.…”