My cat has a torn ACL in his knee. What's involved with surgery?

Either surgery could be successful, but TPLO has a better success rate in larger dogs. There are some studies that show that dogs that have had a TPLO put more weight on the leg after surgery and have better long term outcomes. One benefit to the lateral fabellar suture technique is that it tends to be less expensive. Ultimately it is your decision to make, and I would trust the surgeon’s expertise as well.

I hate to hear that about Blaire. I am concerned that you mention extreme pain. While cruciate ligament tears are painful, most cats limp and are somewhat uncomfortable but are generally not described as being in extreme pain. I do not have any more information about Blaire so I will discuss some general things. Things that do cause extreme pain are blood clots blocking the blood flow to one or multiple legs. A urethral blockage will also cause extreme pain. Both of these conditions are emergencies and can be fatal if left untreated. That being said, other things can cause extreme pain as well. Each pet also has varying degrees of pain tolerance and some are more stoic thank others. If Blaire is really uncomfortable, I would recommend to have Blaire examined by a veterinarian asap to make sure there is nothing more sinister happening. Cats do not tolerate human pain medications so there’s nothing safe over the counter to give him that would be effective. The veterinarian may be able to give Blaine pain killers to make him hurt less and that are less likely to damage his organs. For a knee injury in general, gentle massage, a cool compress (not too cold) and keep Blaine from walking around or jumping tend to make them feel better. Omega 3 Fatty acid supplements also help to naturally decrease inflammation and they could help as well. I do hope this helps and I hope he feels better quickly!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It depends on which ligament was torn. However, in general, I would agree with your veterinarian that scar tissue may form and help stabilize the leg over time. Again it is hard to know without knowing which ligament we are referring to. However, there are medications that can help with comfort such as meloxicam. This medication can affect the kidneys and can only be given if his kidneys are being closely monitored and they are ok to begin with. You can check with your veterinarian who knows his medical history to see if this seems like an option for him. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. A TPLO would be the most appropriate surgery based on Bella's size but I have had several patients that have not undergone surgery and developed severe arthritis in the affected knee and had difficulty walking on the leg. Unfortunately, the arthritis tends to worsen and the pain can become much worse in an untreated knee. There are other options for correcting a torn ACL but may not be the most appropriate for Bella. The lateral suture technique is much more affordable, requires less time to perform (less time under anesthesia) and stabilizes the knee. I've used this technique in much bigger dogs than Bella and they have never failed. There is always the chance that the repair may fail with the lateral suture with a dog Bella's size or bigger but it will stabilize the knee. I would discuss this other option with your veterinarian. I would consider doing something the stabilize the knee so that Bella is more comfortable. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

In these cases ACL or CCL tear is the most likely reason for it. Tear can be partial and conservative management (especially in dogs under 15kg) could be successful. Complete rest and anti-inflammatory meds can be attempted.

How old is he? If he is past 1 year old, I would be concerned that he may have a fracture of the tibial crest. That is the large bone below the knee. The hips also don't look 100% normal. Without doing an exam on him myself and knowing exactly where he is painful, it is difficult for me to just look at the radiographs and give you a diagnosis. Also, every veterinary surgeon charges differently for different procedures and it is also very depending on location and cost of living. My advice to you would be to go in for the consultation with the surgeon so they can give you more details on what is wrong with him and the best course of treatment. Be sure to ask for estimates for the procedure and if you cannot afford what they are recommending, simply ask what the next best, more affordable option would be. Cats are quite resilient and sometimes they can heal with strict confinement, but I would see what the surgeon thinks. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear about Jaeger's injury! Unfortunately, a torn ACL will not heal, as ligament tissue cannot re-grow. So, he does need surgery in order to maximize his ability to use that leg. With that said, there are certainly plenty of dogs (and humans!) out there who do not have their torn ACL surgically repaired, and instead manage the injury with pain meds, anti-inflammatories, and rest as needed for life. But, without surgery that stifle ("knee") will remain unstable. Additionally, dogs who tear one ACL are at increased risk of tearing the other, which in my opinion adds another reason to pursue surgery, so if that happens Jaeger wouldn't have *2* unstable stifles. I hope this helps - you're welcome to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss Jaeger's injury in more detail!