Will airlines allow my dog to fly if he has a torn ACL or bad leg?

Many of my patients travel from out of town for surgery at my hospital, cruciate repairs included. As long as he doesn’t jump in and out of the car I don’t see any reason to withhold travel. Best of luck and I hope his recovery continues to do well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Acupuncture can help with the pain, but it won't heal the torn CCL. A torn CCL won't be visible on x-rays, but there will be radiographic changes such as excessive fluid in the joint and displacement of the infra patellar fat pad. Torn CCLs cannot be diagnosed from x-rays alone, and a lameness exam should be done including a tibial thrust and cranial drawer test (manipulation tests). If those haven't been done already, I recommend having them done by the vet. If Stella's CCL is torn, then surgery is the recommended treatment. As a large dog, conservative treatment is not recommended because it doesn't work. Surgery is likely the best option for Stella, and I would speak to your vet about a recommendation to a veterinary orthopedic surgeon.

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!

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.

Hello sorry to hear about Pilot. It sounds like his knee may have become swollen from being unstable and needs time to allow the swelling to decrease. Anti-inflammatory medications may also help decrease the swelling in his knee. Because of how unstable a knee is when the CCL is torn, they may also develop concurrent medial meniscus injury/tear. Ideally, Pilot should continue to be rested and prevent any running, jumping, or rough housing which can exacerbate swelling of an unstable knee. Once his swelling has decreased (2-3 days), Pilot may begin to use his leg again. You may expect this to happen if Pilot does not have his CCL addressed surgically. In generally, overexertion may cause him to become sore on his knee and he may express intermittent episodes of lameness. Please speak with your veterinarian about seeing a surgeon to address his torn CCL. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It is true that he will put more weight on his other limbs and that is why 40-% if dogs tear the other. I would also encourage you to start him on fish oils to reduce inflammation as well and a chondroprotectants such as dasequin. Surgery is the absolute best option to reduce the development of arthritis. Happy healing!

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.