Cruciate probs

T

Thistle

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My little staffy is 5 years old (I Think) she had slight cruciate probs around 12 to 18 months but recovered well with reduced exercise.Yesterday (New years day) she came in from the garden on 3 legs, she can put the 4th down but is reluctant to do so. It's def not broken as she doesn't seem to be in too much pain, apart from the fact she won't use her leg. I wasn't too worried as she had done this before and is usually ok after a quiet day.

I have 2 other dogs, a boxer and a lab and life can be quite boisterous.

I have confined the dogs to the kitchen and utility end of the house and lit the fire to encourage her to rest. Have tried to get a vets appt but none available until tomorrow morning. She is a very fit dog, always out and about (unless it's raining!) and pretty much a perfect weight.

I have just taken her outside for the toilet and brought her back in. The vets said I could give her 200mg parecetamol to keep her comfy until tomorrow, but only 1 dose from lunch today until our appt tomorrow 11.15.

She has yelped a few times when the other dogs have knocked her.

I can't crate her, she is a mistreated rescue who is very tactile and loves to huddle up with the others. Anyway someone borrowed the crate that would fit her 9 months ago for a puppy and hasn't yet returned it.

Any other ideas how to help her (assuming it is def cruciate, certainly looks that way).

Anyone had experience of cruciate ops? Are they worth it?

I really have no idea how she did it, our garden is 1 and a half acres with lots of places to be out of view.
 
My choc lab bitch did hers a couple of years ago. Not sure how but her and the other one play quite rough so I guess it was then. I took her to the vets, they scanned or x rayed and diagnosed cruciate ligament rupture. We discussed the options (she is insured), the op was approx £2.5k and 6 week recovery/rehab minimum or we could do crate rest for 4 weeks and then short lead walks only for 4 weeks and so on. She has rubbish hips and is prone to weight gain so I decided it wasn't worth putting her through the op. She hasn't had any trouble since.
She was referred for a course of hydrotherapy too I think we went about 6 times? cost about £15 a time but she loved it!
 
My Rott did his about 3 years ago as a 5 year old. Was a slow recovery post op, 3 months before he was allowed a walk, but very smooth progress and it literally never troubled him again from that day on! Also have a friend who's staff did hers at 5 years old last year and again, she is now fine.
 
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