Dog tore knee ligament: is surgery always required for recovery?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Brooklyn. I usually discuss surgical repair when I diagnose a dog with a cruciate injury, but it is not my only approach. Conservative care has been more effective in small breed dogs though in my opinion. However, I have had some large breed dogs do well without surgery. I usually start with strict rest for a period of 4-6 weeks depending on the case. This can allow scar tissue to develop in the knee and stabilize the joint. I will also prescribe pain medication as needed as well as prescription joint supplements. If the dog is overweight at all, I will use a veterinary weight loss diet. Any additional weight will be extra stress and strain on that joint. So I want the dog to be as lean as possible. If the dog is comfortable, I will gradually return them to their normal activity level. I also warn owners, if a dog suffers a cruciate injury on one leg then they are likely to suffer the same thing on the other rear leg as it is a degenerative injury. I hope this information 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.

It is difficult to assess without a full history of the type and severity of the injury. The most common type of injury is to the cruciate ligament inside the knee - although this can stabilise quite well with rest, weight management and joint supplements (especially in smaller dogs under 10-15kg), surgery is the recommended route in order to minimise the severity of arthritis which will develop due to the joints being unstable. Some arthritis is inevitable but it should be less severe and develop later in life if the joint is quickly stabilised with surgery

I'm sorry for Brody's injury. It sounds like he had ruptured his cranial cruciate ligament. Surgery is the ideal treatment but when that is not possible, crate rest is strongly recommended. Every time Brody steps on that leg he is injuring it further. If he tries to run and jump or play on it he will injure it even more. So 4-8 weeks of cage rest is better than a lifetime of chronic pain and lameness. There are things you can do to try to make it easier on him. Toys or chews that may interest him but that he can't swallow large pieces of. Make sure he can be out with you on a leash when possible instead of a cage. If he is super anxious or fighting the crate you may need to discuss anxiety or sedation medications with your vet. Here's an article that explains CCL injury a little bit more. I would recommend starting Brody on a supplement such as Dasaquin to try to limit arthritis effects in his knees. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1975

The best treatment is surgery. There are some dogs that may respond ok to rest and pain medications or a brace (mypetsbrace.com) but in the end most do best from surgery. I would consider having the surgery performed or going to get the opinion for a surgeon. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry that you are dealing with this with Sookie. If Sookie's cruciate ligament is completely torn, surgery is the best option for stabilizing the joint and developing less arthritis as she ages. Without surgery, the knee will scar and Sookie will walk on it again, but Sookie will develop more arthritis in the joint than if she has surgery. Small dogs often do "OK" without surgery, but do develop more arthritis in that joint than if they have surgery. Arthritis actually starts developing almost immediately after a cruciate injury, so it is a concern. Since Sookie is 8, I suspect the surgery will provide her the best quality of life for a long time with the least amount of arthritis. Here is more information on cruciate disease. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1975 Finally, if you decide to avoid surgery or would like to get another opinion, I would recommend trying to find a rehabilitation veterinarian to help you with your decision and possibly recovery after surgery. http://www.caninerehabinstitute.com/Find_A_Therapist.html Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Poor Willie! The duration of cage rest and pain medications depends on the degree of the tear. You can also provide Willie with joint supplements, which are available at most pet stores or through your veterinarian. These will help maintain the lining of the joint and partially prevent further pain and damage. If Willie is overweight, a diet plan is also something to consider to minimize pressure on the knee when she does begin exercising again. There are surgical options that can be considered to stabilize the joint if warranted. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!