My dog limps again after CCL surgery. Is it arthritis or LSS?

If her pain is truly localized to the hip it could be from a joint injury or arthritis. It’s also possible that the pain is originating from the knee - unfortunately many dogs that experience a cruciate rupture will have the other leg rupture within 6-12 months. If the lameness continues I’d recommend having Dallas examined by your vet.

This could be just a flareup of arthritis in the knee which is very common in dogs with the surgery. Depending on what was done sometimes there could be a meniscus injury after the surgery. Some surgeons do a "preventative" meniscus surgery at the same time others do not. Rarely it could indicate an issue with the implant placed during the procedure. I would follow your veterinarian's advice and if she becomes worse have her seen sooner. Sometimes x-rays of the knee or needed other times we can figure out what's going on with just an orthopedic exam.

Thank you for posting this question about Rex. I’m so glad cosequin has worked so well for him. I would be suspicious that the arthritis could be getting worse, however there could also be other possibilities. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. If they think it is the arthritis acting up then they prescribe some additional pain medication. They may also recommend an x-ray to look for other problems such as cancer. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Arthritis is definitely a possibility. You could start him on a joint supplement, like Dasuquin and see if that helps. Your vet could also take an x-ray to evaluate for arthritis and then start him on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, like Deramaxx, Previcox, Rimadyl, etc. NSAIDs help relieve the discomfort associated with arthritis.

It probably just sprained it. It is not uncommon for dogs to do very well post-op and then have a bit of a set back. You didn't mention which type of surgery he had to correct his CCL tear. Did they put in a false ligament? Was a TTA done? Was the meniscus involved? All of that can play a factor on what may be going on. I suggest you just rest him very strictly and ice the knee for 10 minutes 3-4 times per day (both the outer and inner portions of the knee). Continue all the medications that your vet has prescribed. If not much improvement after ~7 days of this I suggest you get a referral from your vet to an orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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.

He could have arthritis but he could also have a partial cruciate tear in his knee. The best thing would be to have your vet examine his leg to determine the cause. He may just need an anti-inflammatory to treat some pain and inflammation.