Bacterial osteomyelitis in veterinary orthopaedics: Pathophysiology, clinical presentation and advances in treatment across multiple species.
Abstract: Bacterial osteomyelitis in veterinary patients can be challenging to diagnose and treat, given limited therapeutic options and reported success rates. Osteomyelitis is frequently associated with surgical implant devices, including those required to optimise stability and healing of fractures. However, management of osteomyelitis sometimes necessitates the removal of these surgical implant devices in order to eradicate infection or limit implant-related osteolysis. The goal of this article is to provide a general and species-specific review of bacterial osteomyelitis in a selection of domestic veterinary species, including cats, dogs, horses, cattle and camelids, with a focus on classification, clinical presentation, aetiologic agents, and common therapeutic interventions reported in the literature. New treatment options emerging from research and human medicine will be also discussed, as they also apply to current or future care of veterinary patients with osteomyelitis.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-06-25 PubMed ID: 31383419DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.06.003Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This study reviews bacterial osteomyelitis, an infection in the bone, in a variety of domestic veterinary species, discussing its classification, causes, symptoms, and common treatments. It also explores promising new treatment options deriving from recent research and human medicine.
Overview of the Research Paper
- The paper delves into the problem of bacterial osteomyelitis – an infection in the bones – seen in various domestic veterinary animals such as cats, dogs, horses, cattle, and camelids.
- It acknowledges the difficulty in diagnosing and treating this illness due to the limited therapeutic options and lesser success rates.
- The research indicates that osteomyelitis is often linked with surgical implant devices that are typically used to stabilize and accelerate healing of fractures. Consequently, managing the infection sometimes involves removing these devices.
Review of Bacterial Osteomyelitis
- The main goal of this research paper is to review bacterial osteomyelitis in the mentioned domestic species, going deep into its classification, clinical presentation, causes (aetiologic agents), and common treatment measures.
- This thorough review helps understand how the illness manifests in different species and enables comparison of commonalities and differences between them.
Therapeutic Interventions
- This comprehensive analysis also provides insights into therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat the condition.
- These include strategies to remove surgical implant devices to eliminate the infection or limit the harmful effects of the device in the form of implant-related osteolysis.
New Treatment Options
- Apart from existing treatment protocols, the research paper also examines promising new therapeutic options emerging from human medicine research.
- The potential and feasibility of these new therapeutic solutions being applied to veterinary care for osteomyelitis are assessed.
- This reflection provides a promising outlook for the future care of veterinary patients with osteomyelitis.
Cite This Article
APA
Gieling F, Peters S, Erichsen C, Richards RG, Zeiter S, Moriarty TF.
(2019).
Bacterial osteomyelitis in veterinary orthopaedics: Pathophysiology, clinical presentation and advances in treatment across multiple species.
Vet J, 250, 44-54.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.06.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland.
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland.
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland.
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland.
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland. Electronic address: stephan.zeiter@aofoundation.org.
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Camelidae
- Cat Diseases / classification
- Cat Diseases / microbiology
- Cat Diseases / therapy
- Cats
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / classification
- Cattle Diseases / microbiology
- Cattle Diseases / therapy
- Dog Diseases / classification
- Dog Diseases / microbiology
- Dog Diseases / therapy
- Dogs
- Horse Diseases / classification
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Orthopedics / veterinary
- Osteomyelitis / classification
- Osteomyelitis / microbiology
- Osteomyelitis / therapy
- Osteomyelitis / veterinary
- Species Specificity
Citations
This article has been cited 23 times.- Abreu R, Martinho A, Noiva R, Pissarra H, Cota J, Cunha E, Tavares L, Oliveira M. Osteomyelitis caused by Aspergillus terreus complex in a dog: a case report. BMC Vet Res 2023 Jun 8;19(1):76.
- Nesse LL, Osland AM, Vestby LK. The Role of Biofilms in the Pathogenesis of Animal Bacterial Infections. Microorganisms 2023 Feb 28;11(3).
- Hui J, Ryan KA, Rademacher N, Neupane P, Breitschwerdt EB. Osteomyelitis associated with Bartonella henselae infection in a young cat. JFMS Open Rep 2022 Jul-Dec;8(2):20551169221124910.
- Franchini D, Paci S, Ciccarelli S, Valastro C, Greco G, Di Bello A. Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma Associated with Previous Chronic Osteomyelitis Caused by Serratia liqiens in a German Shepherd Dog. Vet Sci 2022 Feb 22;9(3).
- Choe H, Tatro JM, Hausman BS, Hujer KM, Marshall SH, Akkus O, Rather PN, Lee Z, Bonomo RA, Greenfield EM. Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii Inhibit Osseointegration of Orthopedic Implants. Infect Immun 2022 Mar 17;90(3):e0066921.
- González-Martín M, Silva V, Poeta P, Corbera JA, Tejedor-Junco MT. Microbiological aspects of osteomyelitis in veterinary medicine: drawing parallels to the infection in human medicine. Vet Q 2022 Dec;42(1):1-11.
- Williams E, Towle HAM. A case of canine Salmonella spp. osteomyelitis with secondary fracture following dog bite. Vet Med Sci 2021 Sep;7(5):1518-1523.
- Babenko T, Srugo I, Peery D, Kelmer E, Klainbart S. Novel approach to a severe craniomaxillofacial trauma in a military working dog using a customized 3D-printed mold for printed polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) plate-a case report. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1647992.
- Guchhait KC, Dey S, Majumder S, Raul P, Ballav S, Jana D, Panda AK, Ghosh C. Modern therapeutic strategies to mitigate biofilm-associated infection in livestock organisms. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2025 Dec 7;119(1):5.
- Douralidou D, Muñiz-Moris L, Solano M, Mari L. Multifocal discospondylitis and osteomyelitis due to Salmonella species in a cat. JFMS Open Rep 2025 Jul-Dec;11(2):20551169251349741.
- Nguyen Ngoc D, Latalski M, Danielewicz A, Szponder T, Wessely-Szponder J, Mazur E. Application of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) in Treatment of Osteomyelitis in Human and Veterinary Orthopedics. J Funct Biomater 2025 Mar 5;16(3).
- Takahashi F, Ochiai K, Nakahiro M, Shikano T, Yamamoto S, Tanabe T, Kakizaki T, Sato S, Kanno C, Maeda Y, Ando R, Kawaguchi H. Long-term treatments of osteomyelitis caused by metatarsal traumatic infections in Japanese black heifer and calf. Vet Res Commun 2024 Nov 30;49(1):46.
- Rodrigues MA, Teiga-Teixeira P, Seixas F, Esteves A. Meat Inspection Decisions Regarding Pig Carcasses Affected by Osteomyelitis at the Slaughterhouse: From Etiopathogenesis to Total Condemnation Criteria. Foods 2024 Oct 9;13(19).
- Kakooza S, Eneku W, Nabatta E, Wampande EM, Ssajjakambwe P, Wanyana M, Munyiirwa DFN, Ndoboli D, Namuyinda D, Athieno G, Kayaga E, Okwasiimire R, Tsuchida S, Ushida K, Sakurai K, Mutebi F. Integrating multi-wet laboratory diagnostics to study staphylococci in animals in Uganda. BMC Microbiol 2024 Aug 10;24(1):298.
- Wu S, Lai Y, Zheng X, Yang Y. Facile fabrication of linezolid/strontium coated hydroxyapatite/graphene oxide nanocomposite for osteoporotic bone defect. Heliyon 2024 Jun 15;10(11):e31638.
- Teiga-Teixeira P, Alves Rodrigues M, Moura D, Teiga-Teixeira E, Esteves A. Osteomyelitis in Pig Carcasses at a Portuguese Slaughterhouse: Association with Tail-Biting and Teeth Resection. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 15;14(12).
- Candela Andrade M, Slunsky P, Pagel T, De Rus Aznar I, Brunnberg M, Brunnberg L. Microbial Colonization of Explants after Osteosynthesis in Small Animals: Incidence and Influencing Factors. Vet Sci 2024 May 16;11(5).
- Panichi E, Sassaroli S, Ciccarese GM, Riccio V, Balestriere C, Barbaccia M, Cappellari F, Burkhan E, Palumbo Piccionello A. Use of a Custom-Made Patellar Groove Replacement in an American Staffordshire Terrier Puppy with a Severe Bone Defect in the Femoral Trochlea Caused by Hematogenous Osteomyelitis. Animals (Basel) 2024 Mar 15;14(6).
- Jung JH, Han HJ, Yoon HY. Reconstructive surgery with an autologous bone graft in a dog with presumptive chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis. Vet Med Sci 2024 Mar;10(2):e1383.
- Soares FO, Rosado IR, Sousa MVC, Dumont CF, Bittar JFF, Martin I, Beletti ME, Melo RT, Alves EGL. Osteomyelitis by Microsporum canis and Staphylococcus spp. in cat (Felis catus) - case report. BMC Vet Res 2024 Feb 19;20(1):58.
- Santifort KM, Beukers M, Roos A, van Rijswoud B, Meertens N, Peperkamp K, Ben-Amotz R, Bergknut N. Vertebral Osteosarcoma in Two Cats-Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcome. Animals (Basel) 2023 Nov 10;13(22).
- Andrade MC, De Rus Aznar I, Brunnberg M, Slunsky P. Indications for the removal of implants after fracture healing: A comparison between human and veterinary medicine. Vet Med (Praha) 2023 Jul;68(7):259-270.
- Park SY, Lee HJ, Kim HS, Kim DH, Lee SW, Yoon HY. Anti-Staphylococcal Activity of Ligilactobacillus animalis SWLA-1 and Its Supernatant against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in Novel Rat Model of Acute Osteomyelitis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023 Sep 13;12(9).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists