MENISCAL DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH CRUCIATE DISEASE IN THE DOG

Pathology of the menisci was evaluated in 87 consecutive cases of cruciate disease in the dog. Lesions were recorded in 43 cases (49 per cent) and only the medial meniscus was affected. The commonest lesion was a folding of the caudal horn of the medial meniscus with its displacement between the medial femoral and tibial condyles (19 cases). Other lesions were single or multiple longitudinal tears (14 cases) in which four showed the classical 'bucket handle' appearance, fibrillation/tearing of the femoral surface (four cases), axial fringe tears (three cases) and transverse tears (three cases). The meniscal lesions were treated by a partial meniscectomy at the time of the cruciate surgery. Meniscectomy had no untoward effect on the postoperative recovery and overall the postoperative recovery of the dogs in this study has been superior to the author's previous cases where the menisci were not properly evaluated.