Proceeding of Veterinary and Animal Science Days 2018, 6th- 8th June, Milan, Italy 

HAF © 2013 

Vol. V, No. 1s  ISSN: 2283-3927 

   

 

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Quadriceps contracture is a debilitating and uncommon condition, mostly affecting young dogs. 

It can be congenital (Stead et al., 1977) or acquired (Leighton, 1981; Bardet and Hohn, 1983; 1984) 

and is reported to induce muscular hypotrophy/fibrosis, progressive degenerative joint disease, 

bone hypoplasia and limb hyperextension (Bardet and Hohn, 1983; 1984). The aim of this study 

was to elucidate anatomic, tomographic and biomechanical features of stifles affected by 

quadriceps contracture. 

Seven 2-month-old dead Dobermann Pinschers with unilateral quadriceps contracture were 

included. Before gross anatomic evaluation, all stifles underwent Computed Tomography 

before and after intra-articular administration of iodinated contrast medium (Samii et al., 2004). 

Images were acquired in double positioning (stifle extension and flexion) to identify articular 

cartilage, Ossification Centres’ (OCs) and menisci abnormalities, which were compared between 

affected and unaffected limbs (Figure 1).  

In all affected limbs the stifle was back-turned, the distal femur was extra-rotated and the 

patella was luxated proximo-medially. Severe lack of physiological stifle movements (rolling, 

gliding, spinning) was observed, so that affected joints could not be flexed. The articular 

cartilage of the femur was flattened and irregular in thickness, the femoral trochlea was 

hypoplasic and sloping, the menisci were misshaped. The OC of the distal femur and proximal 

tibia were misshaped; the tibial plateau was oriented caudodorsally-cranioventrally and 

significantly smaller (P<0,05).  

Quadriceps contracture influenced stifle development. The action of quadriceps insertion on the 

tibia prevented normal development of the plateau, causing wedging and abnormal orientation. 

Constant compression also induced external rotation of the distal femur (unable to develop 

distally) and patellar luxation, ending up in genu recurvatum. Static compression was likely 

responsible for femoral trochlea hypoplasia, articular cartilage and meniscal deformation, due 

to the lack of physiological stifle movements. 

 

 

 

Keywords 

Quadriceps contracture, 

Puppies, Stifle, Skeletal 

development, Anatomy. 

 
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR 

Maria Elena Andreis 

mariaelena.andreis@unimi.it 

 
JOURNAL HOME PAGE 

riviste.unimi.it/index.php/haf 

Stifle anatomic, tomographic and 

biomechanical features of growing 

dogs affected by quadriceps 

contracture.  

M.E. Andreis1,*, M. Di Giancamillo2, L.M. Carnevale2, U. 

Polito1, M.C. Veronesi2, A. Di Giancamillo1, S.C. Modina1 

 

1 Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, Università degli 
Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy. 

2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 
20133 Milan, Italy 

 

 

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en


Proceeding of Veterinary and Animal Science Days 2018, 6th- 8th June, Milan, Italy 54 

HAF © 2013 

Vol. V, No. 1s  ISSN: 2283-3927 

Quadriceps contracture induces severe alterations of stifle development in affected puppies. 

Histology, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry may better define the nature of such 

bone, cartilage and meniscal alteration. 

 

 

 

 

References 

Bardet, J.F., Hohn, R.B., 1983. Quadriceps contracture in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 

Sep;183(6):680-685. 

Bardet, J.F., Hohn, R.B., 1984. Subluxation of the hip joint and bone hypoplasia associated with quadriceps 

contracture in young dogs. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association May/Jun;20(3):421-428. 

Leighton, R.L., 1981. Quadriceps contracture (ischemic contracture of the quadriceps), in Bojrab M (ed): 

Pathophysiology in Small Animal Surgery. Philadelphia, Lea and Febiger, pp550-552. 

Samii, V.F., Dyce, J., 2004. Computed tomographic arthrography of the normal canine stifle. Veterinary 

Radiology&Ultrasound 45:402–406.  

Stead., A.C., Camburn, M.A., Gunn, H.M., Kirk, E.J., 1977 Congenital hindlimb rigidity in a dog. Journal of Small Animal 

Practice 18:39-46.  

 

 

Figure 1:   Gross anatomic evaluation of the stifle in a puppy affected by unilateral quadriceps contracture (distal 

epiphysis of the femur). A: affected stifle; B: unaffected stifle. In the affected stifle the femoral condyles are flattened, 

the trochlea is hypoplasic and sloping (black arrow).  

M: medial; L: lateral; EDPL: extensor digitorum pedis longus. 

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