Cruciate damage. Surgery? Best recovery options?

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milo'n'molly

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Looking for opinions please. 3 weeks ago after an evening walk my dog wasn't weight bearing on his hind leg. I hadn't noticed anything happen on the walk and he looked sound on the way home but after he got up for his dinner he was (literally) hopping lame and my heart sank as my first thought was that he had done a cruciate. He was no better in the morning so he went to see the vet that afternoon and low and behold he had stopped limping by the time we got there and he couldn't find anything and gave him some metacam and a week of rest. He seemed fine but after the week we went out and he was a little limpy after a short off lead walk.
We have been back to the vets and he is in on Monday for x rays but even though the vet couldn't get a pain reaction or find any swelling or movement of the joint it seems that he is pretty convinced that it's his cruciate and the talk is already of referrals to orthadedics for surgery.

Right now here is the real question, he is sound now albeit on restricted exercise and I have been googling my options, money isn't an issue he is insured and that is what credit cards were made for right? But it seems like surgery is the only option really considered which is fine if that's the right thing for the dog but I am concerned as the TPLO that the vets seem to recommend is very invasive and a friends GSD had this 4 years ago and it failed, big time needing several more ops to correct it. Also it totally alters the shape and mechanics of the joint, this must put stress on different parts of the body???

I know that many of you have been through this and would really appreciate your experiences. I have tried to research as much as possible and the vets websites all seem to be of the same opinion as mine that surgery is the best way forward but there are several more sites that seem to think that surgery isn't as successful as it seems

http://tiggerpoz.com/id8.html

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Cancel the x rays and ask for a referral to an orthopaedic specialist. Or go for the x rays and then worry about what to do, although I wouldn't let a small practice vet operate except for basic stitches: get the referral!

There are options: mine had a tibia plateau levelling op on both legs. He recovered with careful cage rest and gentle exercise. I know there's a newer op, hopefully someone on here has more info. Talk options with your vet and be aware that recovery is very good, just bear in mind supplements and keeping the dog lean with careful exercise.

Post op, full steam ahead!
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Thank you. If surgery is needed then he will certainly be going to an orthopaedic specialist, I am looking for information/studies on the options and success rates as I'm slightly worried that the vets will be very keen to go in all guns blazing as he is insured. They won't refer yet as it hasn't actually been diagnosed yet. He is generally a very fit dog but hd already been resting for three weeks now and I'm going to have to be careful to stop the weight increasing s he's not exercising enough.
Supplements I have him on are yumove and cortavet as well as turmeric golden paste and salmon oil.
On the other hand I really don't want to drag this on any longer than needed as he really is happiest charging around on long hikes in the countryside.
 
Then after x Rays, choose your route. If it's a definite tear/break, I'd suggest surgery, but I'm not a vet and you need, of course, to discuss every option. Sounds like a repair may be needed then he can get on charging around!
 
My lab is on week 4 of recovery following tplo surgery. She was seen by an orthopaedic surgeon and that was the best treatment for her. Her joint was quite badly damaged and she not has arthritis in that joint but the vet was very pleased with the result.

I think each case is different and once you gave the scans/X-ray you can make a mire informed choice.

The last few weeks have been hard as she is the type of dog who is like my shadow. Keeping her immobile has been a challenge but oh and I agreed that everything else would be secondary to her recovery.

Good luck with your decision
 
My Cane Corso chased my terriers up our garden as a 4 month old puppy & did her cruciate! It was a partial tear with a bit of bone that needed removing & she was operated on successfully by my vets. After a month of very strict cage rest (I carried her in & out for the loo!), she then started swimming once a week & very, very short walks (end of the drive & back at first!!). For months I never let her jump anywhere (by the end she was 38kgs - not easy to lift in the car!!) and she was kept on the lead at all times, poor puppy! I have to say that it was one step forwards & two back at times but the thing that helped turn the corner for her was having it lasered twice a week. My vet disagreed that it would help but I can 100% say that if it wasn't for that she wouldn't have made it. She was one before she was allowed off the lead for a short period...
She is now a 40kg 6 year old hunting machine! She runs & runs, chases rabbits/hares/deer on our farm & jumps ditches, logs etc. Although she is stiff when she stands up after she's been asleep & the joint will be arthritic, she lives life to the full & if she keeled over today she wouldn't have missed out on anything!
Good luck with your dog, don't despair, it won't be easy but it will be worth it! :)
 
Well, he has been for his X-rays and they found nothing abnormal, no swelling, nothing. They are happy to give him the all clear since he is no longer limping.

This is great, however im still concerned that he may have a partial tear as that wouldn't show up. How did they diagnose your partial tear?
 
I believe the success can depend partly on the size of your dog - you don't say what breed he is. I know a few people with larger dogs who've had success with the TPLO surgery.

We have a Westie and she has torn both her cruciates, had the repair surgery and is now as strong as ever. We do give her Cortaflex now as she's 9 and the arthritis is beginning to kick in, and this has made a huge difference to her mobility (and happiness so she must have had some level of pain or stiffness).

What I would say is that even if it's a partial tear, please do keep him rested for some time, the first time Suzie did hers she had been lame on & off for a few weeks and of course we didn't restrict her exercise as we didn't realise it was serious; actually if we'd recognised the symptoms we could probably have got away without surgery and the long cage-rest period.
 
He is a 15kg cross breed who is generally very fit but it just feels like I've been left in limbo, like X-rays are clear so take him home. Don't get me wrong it's good that his X-rays were clear but it still feels like I don't have an answer
 
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