Canine Sports Medicine
At CORSM, every new patient undergoes a comprehensive lameness evaluation with one of our veterinarians. This includes gathering a detailed medical history and reviewing diagnostic imaging. Each dog receives a thorough physical, orthopedic, and neurological examination to assess gait, pain on palpation, range of motion, motor control and strength, as well as muscle tone and atrophy. This evaluation allows us to create a tailored treatment plan that best supports each dog's recovery and performance. If no imaging was previously obtained, digital radiographs will be taken. MSK ultrasounds are often necessary for soft tissue injuries.
Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Consults With Dr. Sherman Canapp
Dr. Sherman O. Canapp, Jr., DVM, MS, CCRT, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal) and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation (Past President), has specialized in canine sports medicine for over 20 years. He is internationally known for providing dog owners with definitive answers and solutions for anything ranging from subtle performance issues in sporting dogs to challenging soft tissue and joint conditions in the forelimb for companion and performance dogs.
His area of expertise includes minimally-invasive arthroscopic procedures, as well as regenerative medicine as a holistic approach to treating soft tissue injuries and osteoarthritis.
Phonophoresis uses ultrasound to enhance the delivery of topical medications, such as pain relievers or anti-inflammatories. The ultrasound waves help push drug particles deeper into the skin, reaching the subcutaneous layer where the cells absorb the medication, providing targeted relief.
Regenerative medicine is a fast emerging field in human and veterinary care that uses the body’s own cells to heal damaged tissues in both acute and chronic conditions. This includes therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell treatments.
An intra-articular injection is a procedure that involves injecting a substance into a joint. These might include regenerative therapies (PRP, MSC, Prostride), polyacrylamide gels (Arthramid, Spryng), corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid or botulinum toxin.
An ultrasound guided injection is used to help guide a needle to a precise location in the body for an injection. These are often used for injection of regenerative medicine therapies into soft-tissue injuries.
Diagnostic Imaging
we treat what we diagnose!
Digital radiography (X-ray) and Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK ultrasound) are both used to diagnose musculoskeletal conditions but serve different purposes:
Digital Radiography: Captures X-ray images of bones and joints, making it the go-to for diagnosing fractures, joint conditions (ie. arthritis), and bone-related issues.
MSK Ultrasound: Uses sound waves to evaluate soft tissues like tendons, ligaments, and muscles. It’s ideal for diagnosing conditions such as tendonitis or bursitis, and can guide injections or aspirations.
Shockwave therapy produces high-energy sound waves, which stimulate cells and release healing growth factors in the body that reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, accelerate bone formation, and enhance wound healing. We have both the (hyperlink: https://pulsevet.zomedica.com/shock-wave-therapy/) Pulsevet and Piezowave shockwave machines.
Arthroscopic surgery in dogs is a minimally invasive procedure using a scope the size of a needle to help diagnose and treat joint issues through small incisions, resulting in less anesthesia time, less pain, reduced infection risk, and quicker recovery compared to traditional surgery.
It provides a clear, magnified view inside the joint, allowing for precise diagnosis and treatment of conditions like elbow dysplasia, shoulder injuries (including biceps injuries, medial shoulder syndrome, and osteochondritis dissecans, also known as OCD), stifle (knee) and hock (ankle) injuries, cartilage damage, and osteoarthritis.
Arthroscopy has been shown to be significantly more sensitive and specific than MRI and CT for diagnosing conditions within the joint.
You can definitively diagnose and treat at the same time under a single anesthesia.
