Hmmm Interesting new info on Cruciate

Kiara's just home from her op and although still a bit out of it, the wound looks much better.
They have a new way of doing it now, instead of wiring it back together they now take a strip of muscle out of the thigh use that to wrap around the torn ligament area screw it in place so it grafts on and in essence creates a new ligament type
According to my vet there were too any cases of the wire snapping and causing extra harm and this is now void by using the dogs own muscle!!
The rebuilding of muscle in the thigh makes the overall healing time a bit longer due to having to rebuild that both of muscle as well as the knee. But on a good note she doesn't have the metal work sticking out to stabilise that she had last time
The reasoning for torn cruiciates has changed too, excluding the small number of working dogs that are over exerted the main group of dogs are 4+ yr old neutered pet dogs are more likely to suffer than those that are entire (male & female) an even higher likelyhood in over weight dogs in this band but they're not sure why research is ongoing.
Oooh and they've also prescribed her Tramadol 50mg, 2 tabs twice a day if needed on top of her Metacam, which is a handy bit of info for emergencies.
Seeing as I'm on Tramadol too for my recent elbow operation we can be druggies together

Great to hear Kiara has her op over,fingers crossed she recovers well(( hugs))Hopefully with the new procedure she won't have any problems.
at the two druggies

That's interesting BB - our last dog had the cruciate op, around 16 years ago I suppose give or take a year.

She was a collie cross and was over 4 but was definitely not overweight. She ruptured hers when indulging in her favourite pastime of racing tractors up the garden hedge as they went up the lane on the other side, and when reaching the very top she would spin round at speed.

If I remember correctly, the repair was made using tissue of some sort from her leg, but what it was I cannot remember It lasted for many years, and although she developed some arthritis in that leg, it was controlled and she more or less had to be put to sleep because of old age.

I am so glad that Kiara is back home and okay. You had better get the incense sticks ready for those Tramadol days!

Having re read your post and seen that you say that the recovery time is longer - this would explain why in our dog's case it was a good six months before any sort of walk was on the cards, whereas often I have seen people posting about recovery time being much much shorter for their dogs.

Her last op 2 yrs ago. The time back to slow off lead walks was about 2 months, within 4 months she was back to being able to run about, within 6 months she was joining Poppy for over an hours walk off lead, the only concession was no ball games except in water, she loves her ball I've never brought them back out tbh figured better safe than sorry.
Vet reckons about 3 months this time before off lead short walks but I'm going to go down the hydro route this time to try and rebuild her muscle a bit quicker and safer.

TBH as long as she's healing and not in pain I don't care how long it takes, if she needs more time she'll get as long as she needs

Just keeping my fingers crossed that her other leg doesn't go again with the added pressure of carrying all her weight which is another factor in me going to Hydro.

Your Vet is to be congratulated on keeping up with the latest science:

Cranial cruciate ligament deficiency (tear) 2-3 times greater in neutered males or females than in intact males or females, combining breeds (VMDB)
From Witsberger et al. 2008.
Prevalence of, and risk factors for, hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament deficiency
In dogs.
J Am Vet Med Assoc 232:1818–1824.

A few weeks ago I came across a chap walking a three legged Labrador. We got chatting and he told me that just before Christmas his dog had run off to chase a squirrel up a tree, when the dog returned he was dragging his rear leg. Turned out he had ripped his achilles tendon. The vet said amputation was the best course of action in a large active dog. The dog was 4 or 5 years old and neutered. Vet also said this was a very common occurrence!

Hmm I wonder why it's more prevalent in neutered dogs than intact?

That's a shame. My sis-in-law's dalmation bitch severed her achilles tendon in a freak accident about two years ago. Luckily they were able to carry out a repair & you wouldn't know she'd had a problem to look at her.

That's interesting about the cruciate op. My own dog had the lateral suture technique (2 sutures) just last year. If we're unfortunate enough to be in that position again I will certainly be asking about that technique.
Keep us updated with her progress.

She's totally recovered from the anaesthetic if the howling at being left behind for this mornings walkies was anything to by

Brilliant, hope she is on the way to a speedy recovery