Most agility dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture return to competition within 2 years of injury.

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors associated with return to canine agility competition after cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR).

Methods: Retrospective owner reports of dogs competing in agility at the time of CCLR and which were ≥ 2 years from the date of initial injury were analyzed. An online questionnaire was used to collect information related to dog signalment, agility activities, CCLR injury and treatment, and return to competition after injury. For categorical variables, ORs with 95% CIs were calculated for the outcome variable of return to competition. Continuous variables were compared using a Mann-Whitney rank sum test.

Results: Of 148 dogs, 110 (74.3%) returned to competition within 2 years of injury. These dogs were more likely to be owned by someone with more agility experience; be treated by a veterinarian with advanced training (OR, 2.9; CI, 1.3 to 6.4); engage in > 10 competitions/y (OR, 2.4; CI, 1.1 to 5.2); and compete at a high level (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.2 to 5.4). Dogs spayed or neutered at ≥ 2 years of age were more likely to return to agility after CCLR (OR, 2.9; CI, 1.2 to 7.4).

Conclusions: Many dogs successfully return to agility competition after CCLR.

Clinical relevance: The likelihood of return to agility may be greater for a dog in good physical condition prior to injury and that is owned by an individual with strong commitment to the sport who seeks treatment from a specialized veterinarian.