OCD is a developmental issue that can be seen in dogs. It is a problem with the cartilage’s ability to turn to bone as an animal grows. Due to the fact the cartilage does not turn to bone it continues to get thicker and weaker because there is not enough bone under it to support it and this leads to cracks and eventually a flap that is either attached or loose (joint mouse) in the joint. This is painful to the patient.

It can be diagnosed it the shoulder, elbow, stifle (knee) or hock (ankle) joints. Dogs that have OCD of the shoulder joint tend to do better than dogs that have it in other locations, the hock is the worst location. Also dogs that have OCD can have it in multiple joints so they should all be looked at carefully.

OCD is treated surgically. We go into the affected joint surgically to remove the flap of cartilage. Once the flap is removed the remaining defect is roughened up to cause bleeding and stimulates healing of the area. The new blood supply brings in healing components that allow the defect to fill in with fibro-cartilage, which is the body’s way of healing cartilage the best it can.