The Impact of Double Pelvic Osteotomy on Dorsolateral Subluxation in 24 Dogs.

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine the effect of double pelvic osteotomy (DPO) on dorsolateral subluxation (DLS) of the femoral head in a weight-bearing position.

Study Design:  Retrospective observational study with treatment effect analysis. Twenty-four client-owned dogs that underwent DPO due to hip dysplasia.

Methods:  Computed tomography (CT) studies were performed on 24 dogs that underwent a DPO between 2015 and 2021. The patients were positioned with the femora in a weight-bearing position. The DLS score was measured pre-DPO, immediately post-DPO, and at follow-up to determine if DPO resulted in an increase in the DLS score.

Results:  A total of 21 dogs underwent single-stage bilateral DPO and 3 dogs underwent unilateral DPO resulting in 45 hip joints available for analysis. Follow-up CT was available for 29 of these at a median of 51 days (range: 35-482 days). The mean DLS score was 36.1% ± 14.6 preoperatively, 71.4% ± 12.5 post-DPO, and 70.0% ± 15.3 at follow-up. The increase between the pre- and postoperative measurement was significant ( < 0.001).

Conclusion:  DPO results in reduced subluxation of the femoral head in a weight-bearing position.

Clinical Significance:  The in vivo results suggest that DPO will result in reduced femoral subluxation during weight-bearing.