Diagnostic ultrasonography of the shoulder in dogs – scan techniques and common findings

Resumen

Determining the origin of lameness and pain in dog shoulder structures is considered a diagnostic challenge. Ultrasonography is an important diagnostic tool, capable of dynamically providing detailed information on muscle-tendon structures at a low cost. Its diagnostic accuracy for shoulder injuries is comparable to that of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, the technique is still underestimated and underused in orthopedic examinations of small animals in Brazil. This study aimed to compile the literature data and explore the findings of ultrasound examinations for the diagnosis of abnormalities in the shoulder joint region of dogs. Scanning maneuvers of the tendons of the biceps brachii, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, humeral head, and brachial plexus muscles were reviewed. The normal ultrasonographic patterns and findings that characterize different illnesses in this region were described.