Association Between Body Condition Score and Early Radiographic Osteotomy Healing Following Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy in Dogs: A Retrospective Study

Body condition may be associated with postoperative orthopedic outcomes, but its relationship with early radiographic osteotomy healing following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) remains unclear. This retrospective study evaluated the association between preoperative body condition score (BCS) and early radiographic outcomes after TPLO for canine cranial cruciate ligament disease. Seventy-six stifles from 68 dogs with eligible radiographs obtained 42–70 days postoperatively were included. Radiographic osteotomy healing was assessed using a TPLO-specific modified Radiographic Union Scale for Tibial fractures (mRUST), and tibial plateau angle (TPA) was measured preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at follow-up. Seventy-one stifles were evaluable for mRUST and 72 for follow-up TPA. Higher BCS was associated with lower mRUST after adjustment for age, body weight, and follow-up interval (β = −0.433 per BCS point; 95% CI, −0.565 to −0.301; p < 0.001). Higher BCS was also associated with a modestly greater postoperative TPA change in the prespecified secondary analysis (β = +0.340° per BCS point; 95% CI, 0.021–0.659; p = 0.037). Higher preoperative BCS was associated with lower early radiographic osteotomy healing scores and a greater increase in TPA during follow-up after TPLO.