My 2yr old Mastiff has just had xrays taken and has ruptured her cruciate, it was also found she has bad hips :( I know there are alot more major things but I am devastated. It's being arranged for her to go to specialist for surgery but I am really worried about after care etc., Also my 7mnth mastiff has now decided to get in on the act and is lame on his left fore again! So both on rest and painkillers. Just wanted anyones experience with cruciate surgery and general advice how other have managed dogs with ongoing lameness. (pup is due to be xrayed when neutered shortly) Feel really down about it all :(

Don't worry too much it is a very common injury particularly in active heavy breeds and all should be well once healed. Do not be in too much of a hurry to neuter the puppy leave as long as you can so his body can mature unimpaired, this should help make sure that he developed to the best he is able and help reduce the chance of future problems.

Not a mastiff but my Lab ruptured her cruciate when she was about 18 months old, and then had to have a second op a year later to remove part of one of the meniscus pads, which act like shock absorbers on the knee joint, the edge had folded over and was uncomfortable for her.  Now, unless you knew, or you know dogs generally, you wouldn't notice until I pointed out to you that she doesn't quite put the same amount of weight on that leg as the other.  You can't tell when she's trotting or running, and she loves running around like the big daft loon she is. 

The best advice is to take the recovery period really slowly, don't try and rush it, and try and wean them off the pain killers as soon as you can, it's a bit of a juggling act, but if the pain killers completely mask any pain, then he may try to do too much.  So whilst you don't want him to be in pain, you want him to feel 'limited' if that makes sense??  I started slowly weaning Indie off her metacam after about a week and a half, so by about four weeks, after the op, she wasn't on any pain killers at all.

Good luck for the op!

x

All for getting a dog off NSAIDs as quick as possible but do remember that they remove the pain only because they are Anti Inflammatory, they control the amount of inflammation and that is necessary following an operation. If you stop too soon the repair may swell and retard recovery.

Discuss it with your vet, explain how you feel and then be guided by them if they say two weeks that is because that is what is required but most will only give them from 3 to 10 days depending on the operation. (3 days for tooth extraction and 5 for castration) would think that the more intrusive the operation the longer the risk of damaging swelling.

The specialist who treated my dog who ruptured her cruciate insisted on crating the dog afterwards. Just as well all my dogs are used to crates from a pup. Aftercare is VERY important and stick to the instructions for exercise you are given. If your dog is insured see if you are covered for hydrotherapy afterwards, it is excellent for building up strength and muscles.

The first week or so after the op is very stressful but you will cope!

I agree with Nova about not neutering your boy too soon.  I won't have toys done until they are over 12 months, and would certainly give a large breed far longer than that to continue maturing, and give his bones chance to develop first.

My large girl had cruciate surgery about 13 weeks ago.  I was worried sick as although she is 5 years old she is totally nuerotic and OTT.  I actually considered that it wouldn't be right for her and was terrified she would do something stupid.
I had a specialist do it, he done the TPLO method and she had to be crated for 6 weeks afterwards just going out to the toilet on the lead.  The specialist gave me sedatives for her for that 6 weeks as she would have literally gone mad otherwise.  Even on them she was doing silly things.  I used a ramp for her to get in and out of the back door.
There were times I really regretted it and wished I hadn't done it.
After 6 weeks she went back to the specialist for a check up and x-ray and he said we could start quiet 5 min walks 2-3 times a day slowly building up but between walks still complete rest.  That was really hard as she was leaping about on the lead everywhere and she was very difficult to hold, all her training had gone out the window.
I then got her into hydrotherapy which helped her mentally a lot but then her leg started swelling and she was getting lame again so just over a week ago we went back to the specialist who said the extra pin they had put in to help stablise the leg because she was so big and hyperactive was rubbing so they done a small op and removed it.
Since then she has been a changed dog.  The crate is now packed up, she goes into the garden off lead to the loo, she does try to chase and catch the birds flying overhead but I call her straight in then.
She is doing 30 min lead walks twice a day and had a 40 min walk this morning.  I have also started taking her over to a large 4.5 acre field i hire for her and letting her have the freedom of a flexi lead.
She can also now come upstairs with me at night too.
Hydrotherapy starts again next tue after she has had her stitches out on monday.
So although it is tough (not so bad if your dog is calm to begin with) and there are highs and lows I am now so glad we had it done.  She is getting back to normal now, no swelling and no lameness at all and once her muscles are built up a bit more she will be back off lead and back to normal.
Its a big op  my girl was in surgery for 3 hours, but having been there and now coming through the otherside i say go for it but just be very strict on the complete rest for the six weeks straight afterwards.
Do you know what method your specialist will be using?
I have lots of photos of her straight after the op till yesterday if you would like any emailed to you for you to see.
Good luck.

My three legged lab had cruciate surgery to her one remaining back leg, she had keyhole surgery and was weight  bearing the same day as surgery, after recovery it never bothered her again and she lived another 7 plus years after that

I know how you feel! My first dogue who I bought to show and had hoped would be my foundation bitch, firstly had a really high hip score so I decided with my vet that she was not going to be bred from although I didnt get her spayed immediately because she was still not fully grown. Then she did her cruciate and although after the op she recovered a lot sooner than I had expected being a very large dogue, she got arthiritis(my vet said this was definately due to the op) so she spent the best part of 18 months on lead exercise only. We now manage her condition and she has a good quality of life on and off lead. I have also got a 8 month old dogue who like your dog has started limping! I could have cried. She is on anti inflammatories and has to go back next thursday and I am keeping my fingers crossed she improves because I dont want her to have an op at her age. Vet thinks at worst she may have chipped a bone in her elbow.

bebv - It would be great to see pictures, thank you for your experiences. Not sure what I do to get pics?! Do I message you my email address? :)

Yes message me your email address and I will forward you some pics of a couple of days after it was done (the wound etc)  and how she is 13 weeks on.