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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #243: Canine Osteochondritis Dissecans

Dog veterinary case - Easy - November 1, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A young large-breed dog is presented for chronic forelimb lameness that worsens after exercise.
  2. The owner says the dog is stiff when rising and reluctant to play fetch for long.
  3. Shoulder extension elicits pain on orthopaedic examination.
  4. There is no history of a single traumatic event.
  5. Imaging identifies a cartilage flap lesion in the caudal humeral head region.
  6. This developmental orthopaedic disease of young large-breed dogs is known as osteochondritis dissecans.

Diagnosis

Canine Osteochondritis Dissecans

This case is most consistent with Canine Osteochondritis Dissecans because the dog has shoulder pain with imaging showing a cartilage flap lesion in a classic juvenile large-breed presentation. The most important clues are the shoulder-focused lameness and developmental lesion pattern, which make elbow dysplasia less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this dog case supports the provided diagnosis, Canine Osteochondritis Dissecans, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A young large-breed dog is presented for chronic forelimb lameness that worsens after exercise.
  2. Clue 2: The owner says the dog is stiff when rising and reluctant to play fetch for long.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: Shoulder extension elicits pain on orthopaedic examination.
  2. Clue 4: There is no history of a single traumatic event.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Imaging identifies a cartilage flap lesion in the caudal humeral head region.
  2. Clue 6: This developmental orthopaedic disease of young large-breed dogs is known as osteochondritis dissecans.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this dog case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Canine Osteochondritis Dissecans?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Canine Osteochondritis Dissecans?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.