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ON-DEMAND VET COURSE

Lameness Evaluation in the Dog

Struggling to connect the dots between a dog's lameness, your physical exam findings, and what you see on radiographs?

  • Veterinarian
  • Non-Interactive RACE Approval Pending
  • 3 Months Access
  • 4 Structured CPD Points

This course includes

  • 3-month access
  • Course ebook
  • Extra resources
  • Lecture Recordings
  • Quiz assessment
  • CPD certificate

What you'll learn

This concise, practical course is designed to bridge that gap. Led by specialist insights, we will first demystify the essential 5-Minute Orthopaedic Examination – a structured, efficient approach to reliably localize the source of discomfort and pain. Then, we’ll look at  radiographic assessment of canine lameness, to equip you with the knowledge to interpret findings accurately, avoid common pitfalls of normal variants, and understand which radiographic lesions are truly significant. 

Move beyond guesswork and build a confident, systematic approach to diagnosing canine orthopaedic conditions.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course, you will be able to:
  • Perform a structured, efficient orthopaedic examination to reliably localize the source of pain and lameness in a canine patient.
  • Interpret canine limb radiographs with increased confidence by systematically assessing for significant lesions and distinguishing them from normal anatomic variants.
  • Integrate physical examination findings with radiographic evidence to form a coherent and accurate clinical diagnosis for common orthopaedic conditions.
  • Apply a consistent, logical diagnostic workflow in general practice to move from initial lameness presentation to targeted imaging and treatment decisions.

Course Outline

A precise diagnosis starts with a precise exam. This lecture delivers a streamlined, repeatable 5-minute orthopaedic examination protocol designed for the busy general practice. We will break down the systematic sequence from gait observation to final palpation, in a hands-on, step-by-step guide to performing a thorough exam efficiently, ensuring you consistently gather the essential clinical data needed to guide your imaging and treatment decisions.
Learn how to read radiographs with confidence. This lecture focuses on practical interpretation for the lame dog – including how to use the contralateral limb to enhance diagnostic accuracy, and the identification of radiographic patterns of the most common orthopaedic conditions in the dog.

This lecture will transform how you view your radiographs!

Course Tutor

Dr Chris Preston

BVSc MACVSc FACVSc Dipl. ACVS

Dr Angela Hartman

BS DVM Dipl. ACVR

This course is supported by our free webinar

Updates in the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Dr. Philip Judge
  • February 4, 2026

AUD 94

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This course is FREE for our Annual Vet Education Members

Your Colleagues Love These Courses!

I love Vet Education courses. Dr. Phil is such a great teacher, who presents such clear, practical information.

Jess

(USA)

Loving these shorter courses – so much useful information in a nice concise form. Thanks Vet Ed!

Toni

(New Zealand)

Fantastic. I’ll be doing more of these short courses!

Liam

(Australia)

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this course suitable for veterinarians with no specialist orthopaedic training?
Absolutely. This course is specifically designed for general practitioners. It focuses on providing a clear, practical, and systematic framework to improve diagnostic skills in a busy practice setting, without requiring prior specialist knowledge.
The lecture will focus on the top 10 common orthopaedic patterns seen in dogs, such as cranial cruciate ligament disease, elbow dysplasia (e.g., fragmented coronoid process), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and arthritic changes. The emphasis is on recognizing diagnostically significant radiographic lesions associated with these conditions.
The “5-Minute” framework is about efficiency and consistency, not brevity at the expense of thoroughness. It provides a standardized, sequential protocol that eliminates guesswork and ensures all critical steps are performed without wasted time. It’s designed to maximize essential data collection within a typical consultation window.
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Dr Chris Preston

BVSc MACVSc FACVSc Dipl. ACVS

After graduating from University of Melbourne and working as a general family vet for two years, Chris completed a surgical residency training program at the prestigious University of California. He was awarded a Resident Research Award for investigation of elbow arthritis in dogs using a novel loaded limb model he invented.
Chris became a specialist in both Australia and in the US by examination. He has worked as a private surgeon for over 20 years, training other surgeons and publishing papers in US surgery journals. In 2024, Chris was recognised as a Founding Fellow in Joint Surgery by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons after significant contributions in teaching and academic pursuits. He is Australia’s only specialist to have this recognition and one of only 20 in the World.

Dr Angela Hartman

DVM, DACVR

Angela is originally from Virginia in the USA and obtained a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry in 1988 from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. This led to her working in a research laboratory in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a Biochemist for 4 years.
She then pursued a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at University of California, Davis (UCD) and graduated in 1999. While attending vet school, she was employed as an ICU nursing technician at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UCD. She soon discovered her interest in diagnostic imaging after receiving her first lectures in the physics of radiology. After completing her veterinary degree, Dr. Hartman practiced as a general practitioner in a small animal practice for 1.5 years before being accepted for the 4 year radiology residency at UC Davis and obtaining her diplomat status in the American College of Veterinary Radiologists in 2003. She remained as clinical faculty at UC Davis for 8 months prior to immigrating to New Zealand to take a position as clinician/lecturer in radiology at Massey University for 9 years. She now practices privately both internationally and domestically via teleradiology and short term lectures, and provides on-site support to local clinics in the Nelson region as well as Universities in New Zealand, Australia and India. Living outside of Nelson, New Zealand on a small animal rescue farm with her family, her goal is to benefit as many patients and pet owners as possible by providing diagnostic imaging support and training to veterinary students and veterinarians in New Zealand and abroad.
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