Torn cruciate ligament

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Tamski

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Hello

Just wondered if anyone had any experience of this type of injury.

My border terrier is going back to the vet on Tuesday for x rays as this is what she thinks shes done. Amazing what they can get up to pottering round the garden!

She's in her teens now and the vet has mentioned the possibility of surgery which I'd prefer to avoid if possible. So any tips on rehab much appreciated please.

Obviously we'll know more on Tuesday but it would be nice to feel a bit more prepared for whats to come

Thanks
 
my 12.5kilo cross breed did his cruciate and i rested him for 3-4 moths and he is still fine now 5/6yrs later

my lurcher did hers and had surgery as there was other damage in the joint-she has not been right since (8months) despite lead excersise only for 5 months, hydrotherapy and an extensive rehab programe.

there is more and more evidence that the cruciate will repair itself given time and rest especially in smaller dogs, i would not operate on a cruciate again as the damage to my girls joint will undoubtedly put her in an early grave anyway.

you have to rest and lead walk with or with out surgery. at her age i would be inclined to keep her relatively quiet for 3 months and just use painkillers to keep her comfortable for as long as she has left.

speak to your vet about the options available and what might be the best for her taking in to account her age
 
My rottie tore his cruciate aged 6 and we did 6 weeks rest, but it didn't help. He was operated on, 3 months to recover and has never had a lame day since (until he got osteosarcoma and had a leg amputated!!) I've also known a staff aged 5 have the same and she has also recovered really well.
 
My Westie did this about 18 months ago; she was only 6 at the time, so we opted for surgery. It was a very long haul, and it's only been the last 3-4 months that she's fully recovered. We kept her on cage-rest and lead-walking for about 3 months, then did a full course of hydrotherapy, but she's such a feisty little thing that we struggled to keep her quiet & not racing around.

We discovered that stairs were the worst thing so we made sure we always carried her up & down stairs. Sometimes now if she's had an extra long walk, she will limp, but seems fully recovered the next day.

If your dog is quite quiet, then I think she's got a good chance of full recovery without the surgery. Good luck with her :)
 
My 3.5 year old partially tore a cruciate at an agility competition earlier this year. At 24kg and being a very active dog she was way above the threshold my vet recommended for trying conservative management and we went straight in with a TTA repair. It was a textbook recovery, she returned to training at 12 weeks post op and is now back to competition standard with no apparent problems.

Under 10kg and an older, less active dog then I wouldn't go for surgery. The period of rest required is actually quite daunting, about twice as long as the recovery from a TTA, but in an older dog who is not zipping about doing sports the result is often perfectly acceptable and a great deal cheaper.
 
Thanks all.

She's definitely slowed down now and spends most days snoozing and pottering so hopefully we won't need surgery.

Just want to see the extent of the damage on Tuesday so that we know exactly what we're dealing with and can make her as comfy as possible.
 
One of my dogs, Staffy x Lab went in for surgery today, he at 62lbs was also too heavy for conservative management, he had a TPLO and below is the explanation, the consultant went through it with by using models and it is fascinating and clever how they do it!

An increasingly popular surgical option is called the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). This is a significantly more complex procedure than the traditional extracapsular method, and must be performed by a specially trained veterinarian - specifically a board certified surgeon. The TPLO alters the mechanism of the knee joint, allowing it to function properly without a cruciate ligament. A cut is made into the top of the tibia (tibial plateau). Then, the tibial plateau is rotated to change the angle and a metal plate is affixed keep the bone in place. Over several months, the bone heals into its new position. Partial improvement can be seen within days. However, full recovery will take several months, so cage rest is essential. Generally, long term prognosis is very good, and re-injury is uncommon. The plate does not need to be removed unless problems occur later. As with any surgery, complications are possible. The TPLO is significantly more expensive than the traditional surgery.
 
My mother-in-laws old BT did hers and they just put her on rimadyl and was not walked at all for a month or so, I cna't remember how long. As she was old she only pootled around the garden anyway and it healed beautifully.
 
As suggested in a small breed like that, I would be inclined to leave and let it recover with meds and rest, both my large breed bitches have been operated on with fantastic success but both 40kg plus so no choice, they needed that leg lol.
 
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