When will my dog walk normally after cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery?

The clicking may be due to an injury to the meniscus in her knee. The meniscus provides additional stability and cushioning between the bones that make up the knee joint. It is common to see meniscal injury along with cruciate injuries. Ideally, she should be rechecked by your veterinarian. In some cases, surgery is required to repair or remove the meniscus. Strenuous play or running should be avoided until at least 12 weeks post op and then, it should only be for very short periods of time. Each dog recovers differently, so the timetable to resume regular activity is flexible.

A torn cruciate ligament in the knee is not something you need to rush to surgery for. I'm a rehab veterinarian and I usually recommend rest, anti inflammatory medication, and short leash walks for potty only. If she is improving over the next few weeks then she may recover well without surgery. If there is no improvement or she starts using it, then gets worse again then I do recommend surgery. It is very important to prevent any jumping and no explosive movements. Basically Gumbo needs to be leash walked only for up to three months for her to recover without surgery. Also if you have a veterinary rehab clinic near you taking her for treatment there would assist her recovery without surgery. If you have additional questions please request a consultation with me and I can answer them. This is the most common injury I see in my practice. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Gumbo.

The dog should be kept as quiet as possible for 6-12 weeks to ensure that the bone sets and heals properly. This means no running, jumping, or playing, and the dog should be taken out to toilet on a lead only. Once x-rays are done to confirm that the bone has fully healed, the dog will be allowed to exercise and activity levels must be built back up slowly. Physical therapy and hydrotherapy may be done to help the dog regain it's muscle mass and activity levels.

I am so sorry to hear Kira is having difficulties after her surgery. It is understandable that she is having troubles standing, and hopefully I can provide you with some options for helping her. Movement and physical therapy after these types of procedures is important. But it must be don't correctly. Encouraging Kira to stand and move around on her own will be difficult at first but she will get stronger as the days pass. Rather than trying to lift her with your hands, try passing a towel or bed sheet under her belly, just in front of her back legs, to make a sling. Then you can lift this-it will provide more support for Kira and hopefully be more manageable with your injured arm. Try and find someone (a neighbor or friend) who can come help if you need extra assistance. Ensuring that Kira takes her post-Surgery pain medications as prescribe is very important too. If she is very painful she will be more reluctant to move around. Once Kira is moving around normally, has recovered from her surgery and is given the 'all clear' to return to normal activity by your veterinarian then it would be a good idea to try and achieve some weight loss for her. Being overweight not only puts extra strain on her joints (especially the one that has just been repaired) but it also puts her at much higher risk of rupturing the ligament in her other leg. Please do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian if you feel Kira is not recovering appropriately. Ask them too about any recommended physical therapy routines you can do for her to help improve her mobility. You may be able to find a certified canine rehabilitation specialist in your area too. Good luck, and I hope Kira feels better soon!

The overall recovery for this procedure typically takes 6-8 weeks. Most dogs show significant improvement after the first 2-3 weeks, but their bone is still healing in this time. Continue following Luna's vet's directions regarding the amount of rest or physical therapy exercises that she is to follow to help expedite her recovery. I hope that she's on the mend quickly! :-)

It takes months for the swelling to completely resolve. Up to 6 months before you see the full benefits of surgery. Also, if he has some arthritis present in the knee then the inside will always have some thickening. Best of luck and I hope he heals well! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

If it's been four weeks since her surgery, it should be perfectly fine to go ahead and bathe her now. It would be a good idea to use a non-slip mat of some kind in the tub to help make sure that she doesn't re-injure the leg, but otherwise there should be no problem at all with giving her a bath :)