Cruciate ligament operation.

Please help. Need advice. My 6 year old dobie bitch has hurt her back leg. Vet says she has partially ruptured her cruciate ligament and needs an operation to fix it. Anyone out there had a dog that has had this operation could you let me know your experience (either good or bad). At present she is limping quite badly and is on rimadyl and tramadol for pain relief.

Hello Ruth welcome. I am sorry to learn of your dog's injury. A number of our members have had this operation performed on their dogs in the past.

Try putting 'cruciate ligament' into the advanced search feature in the menu at the top of the page and you should find some examples .

Dog Forum

Hi Ruth and welcome!

I haven't had this particular issue with my own dogs, but I have friends who have had. It is common with many of the larger breeds and Dobies are susceptible. Generally, when one cruciate ligament goes, the other will go soon after. It's expensive, but surgical treatment is very effective. You might want to look into physiotherapy or hydrotherapy options-- recovery time is long, but if you have good therapy, you can keep the muscles strong, and strong muscles will help prevent further injury. Do you have insurance? If so they might cover physio or hydro. Always best to check! All the best to you!

My 7 year old GSD was diagnosed as having a partially ruptured cruciate ligament about six months or so back and TTA/TPLO surgery was suggested. Having looked into the op, I decided to hang fire for a while until I could look into other options. I took him for a number of hydrotherapy sessions and he was on pain relief for a few weeks.

I have built up his exercise again but I don't think he will ever be 100% sound again and I will always have to be aware of not over-doing it with him.

Part of me wonders if I should have gone ahead with the surgery (or if I should go down that route now) or just continue with the current regime and see how we go. Thankfully, he isn't a high energy GSD (like my working line) so seems to be pretty happy with the situation as it is.

I was a little disturbed at just how invasive the surgery is, hence putting it off for as long as possible.

A friend's bitch ruptured her cruciate at about the same time as my dog and she went ahead with the surgery and her bitch is doing well - but seems to be at a similar situation to me that she is doing well, but needs to make sure she doesn't over-do things.

Good luck with whichever route you decide.

Layla actually partially ruptured her cruciate ligament in June 2013. She originally did well with rest and painkillers and was able to manage exercise reasonably well until February 2015 when, unfortunately, she decided to chase a Fox! Have rested her for a month but there has been no improvement. Did not want the TPLO operation as, like you, I think it is very invasive. However, I think I am running out of options and am going to make a decision about surgery this week.

In the rescue I work in, we have just had a mastiff cross who ruptured his cruciate ligament and caused a lot of damage. He had the operation and the recovery time took around 8 weeks with a very very slow build up of excercise. We were warned that his other leg would likely go within 6 months and disaster struck around 4-5 weeks into his recovery - when his good leg also ruptured and we had a case if dejeaveau. So he had the operation again.
He is now doing amazingly well, is not on any pain killers and although still healing has more and more mobility by the day. He wants to do more than he is allowed - but is looking the best we have seen in a very long time.

I would 100% recommend the surgery if your dog is in pain and the vet advises. Be prepared for a good 8 weeks+ of recovery, but believe me after it all your dog will hopefully feel much better for it. It is costly surgery as its very specialist - but the outcomes after are amazing in terms of what I have seen in the dog we have had in. I hope she is feeling much better soon.

Hi Ruth
So sorry to hear about your poor dog, I have a German shepherd and has also ruptured her ccl back in oct/16,
The vet suggested surgery I started to do a lot of research on the surgery and I decided to go the co conservative management route, I had some customer braces made for also. There is a good website you should check out its called
Tiggerpoz.com u should read it, will give you a lot of info.
My girl is doing really well it has been three months and I am glad I choose this way to go. Good luck hope all goes well for you and you dog.