Key Points
+ Lameness usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks, but not longer than 5 weeks; therefore if your pet’s lameness has been going on for longer than 5 weeks, your pet likely has another condition
+ The lameness may shift from one limb to another
+ This disease is treated with pain medications
+ This disease usually does not recur after 12 to 18 months of age
Signalment
- Young large breed dogs that are 6 to 18 months old
- Common breeds affected
- German Shepherds (most common)
- Great Danes
- Doberman Pinscher
- Golden retriever
- Labrador retriever
- Basset hounds
Synonyms
- Eosinophilic panosteitis
- Enostosis
- Endosteal proliferation of new bone
- Eopan
Clinical Presentation
- Affects the shaft of long bones
- Top of the ulna (front limb)
- Lower part of humerus bone (front limb)
- Central radius bone (front limb)
- Central femur bone (thigh bone)
- Upper end of tibia bone (hind limb)
- Lameness is frequently of sudden onset
- May be mild to severe
- Lameness usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks, but not longer than 5 weeks; therefore if your pet’s lameness has been present longer than 5 weeks, your pet likely has another condition
- The lameness may have a recurrent pattern
- The lameness may shift from one limb to another
- The affected bone is painful to touch
- Some dogs can show signs of
- Fever
- Tonsillitis
- Elevated white blood cell count
Radiograph
Signs on Radiographs (x-rays)
- If the disease is early in its course, no abnormalities may not be seen on the radiographs; if the radiographs are repeated in 2 weeks the problem usually can be seen
- Increased density in the marrow cavity of the affected bone can be seen
- The wall of the bone becomes thicker due to new bone formation on the inner and outer layer of the bone
- Two to three months later the bone normalizes, and the bone looks normal on radiographs again
- In the radiograph take note of the lighter spots in the marrow cavity (denoted by the arrows) which is eopan
- CT scan: Panosteitis is a blotchy density within the bone marrow cavity
CT scan
Microscopic Signs
- There usually is no inflammatory component of panosteitis
- The main change seen is fibrosis of the marrow (scar tissue develops)
- With time the fibrous tissue changes into bone, hence the increased density as seen on the radiographs
- New bone formation on the inner and outer part of the bone can be seen
Cause
- Unknown
- Potentially an unidentified viral infection
Treatment
- Self-limiting disease that has a spontaneous recovery
- Repeated bouts of this disease are about one month apart
- Problem usually does not recur after 12 to 18 months of age
- Treatment is supportive
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- If the pet is systemically ill, then intravenous fluid therapy may be needed for rehydration