My dog has an ACL tear. What knee brace do you recommend for him?

Braces are rarely used if surgery is an option. In small dogs, they are not usually needed. Braces can cause some issues because the fit has to be absolutely perfect to avoid rubbing the skin or causing other joint damage. The best thing to do is “bed rest” and pain medications as prescribed by your vet.

Partial tears of the tendon may benefit from a supportive brace. Complete tears or ruptures require surgical repair. Braces are typically expensive since they are custom made for each patient. That said, you may be able to find more information here: https://www.mypetsbrace.com/home

I’m a Rehab veterinarian and have found braces and wraps do not stabilize the knee. Leash walk only for potty breaks like you are doing is all you want to do physically. Please give the medication as directed. If there is a rehab facility in your area they can help you with laser treatments for pain and some conservative exercise. If she does too much activity on the other rear leg that CCL can tear also. Surgery is indicated in a dog of that size and age. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Moyer.

Dawson looks like a sweetheart! No, unfortunately there is no kind of brace that is going to help his spinal issues or cruciate ligaments. If his cruciate ligaments are actually torn/damaged, the only cure is surgery to repair them, and he may not be a good surgical candidate for this at his age and size. I would make sure he is on pain medication if he seems painful at all, like Tramadol, Gabapentin, or other medications that can be safely combined with the prednisone. Also consider joint protectants like Cosequin and other modalities like acupuncture and laser therapy. I have seen acupuncture help alleviate pain and increase mobility in dogs like Dawson pretty frequently. Hope that helps!

The answer to your question really comes down to her examination and your goals. It is possible for a cruciate ligament to be partially torn or fully torn. If it is fully torn, the knee is unstable and surgery is the best option to stabilize the knee and slow down the development of arthritis in the joint. If the cruciate ligament is only partially torn, you can see signs like you have in Hambro where she seems pretty normal unless she injures the cruciate ligament again with high activity. For a large dog who is young, partial cruciate ligament injures are often problematic because they inhibit dogs from being able to play normally without being painful, but it sounds like Hambro has done well for 6 months. Another consideration is that if she has a partial tear, she may completely tear the cruciate ligament in the future which will necessitate surgery. There is also a potential complication of cruciate injuries that involve a tear in the meniscus. If that happens, she will be consistently lame and will need surgery. Unfortunately, only you can decide on the right answer for Hambro. Surgery provides the best possibility for return to normal activity without lameness, but certainly isn't without potential risks and complications. I have attached a handout on cruciate ligament injuries below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1975 Finally, if this is a partial cruciate injury and you would like to avoid surgery, I would recommend trying to find a rehabilitation veterinarian to help you with physical therapy exercises to strengthen Hambro. They will also be able to give you a second opinion. Hopefully you can find a vet in the UK at this site. http://www.caninerehabinstitute.com/Find_A_Therapist.html http://www.caninerehabinstitute.com/action.lasso Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Wrapping the leg is unlikely to help and an improperly applied bandage could actually do more harm than good. You could look into a custom brace - these along with physical therapy can be successful although they can cost nearly as much as surgery. Otherwise I’d recommend following your vet’s recommendations for medical management.

Don't wrap it. Wrapping a knee is hard even if you know what you are doing! The muscles above the knee are so thick that most wraps will slip down and could cause damage. After a few weeks of healing, if Gus is still limping or painful you could discuss an orthopedic wrap or support with your vet. They can be a little pricey because they have to have a perfect fit in order to not cause damage.