Our 2 year old Staff has just been diagnosed by a specialist with cruciate ligament injury to his left back hind. We are told that the only option is surgery! Has anyone experienced this before with their dog? - in your experience are there any alternatives? - what did you do? - did it help?

Many thanks in advance of your responses.

Our dalmatian did it.  We tried resting her for 6 weeks in plaster and the first time she went out on it she did it again!  If I was in the same situation I wouldnt waste the time and expensive of going back everyweek and having the bandage changed etc.  The surgery is expensive but touch wood it has not reoccured although the only thing we did wrong was had ours done with a wire which does have the possiblity it will come through the skin eventurally but it is nearly 3 years since it happened.  A friend of mine had the plate done again with excellent results.

A friend had a bitch's cruciate repaired and all went well for 9 months and then the other one went.  The owners had insurance which didn't cover the same (if other leg!) problem twice and couldn't afford the £1200 quoted and so the 10 year old bitch was pts.

A neighbour's X-breed (for those who think mixed breeds are healthier!;)) dog has hers repaired in April this year and appeared to be recovering well, if slowly.  After 8 weeks she started limping on the other hind leg - the strain of supporting the repaired leg had damaged the good one, which was repaired at the beginning of July.  So she's been on lead only exercise since March - had a month's rest before the first operation - still is and is still on pain killers and is still limping.  This VERY active, ball chasing dog, had been depressed and unhappy for 6 months.

I'm relieved to know that you and yours have had success Thomas-the-spot.  Given my experiences, I'm really not sure that I would put one of mine through the op! :(

I had a staff with Cruciate ligament problems.He was diagnosed and had an operation to tighten the ligament.It didn't work.He then had another 2 surgerys,the final one but it was still unstable.It was suggested amputation would then have been his only option but the other knee was also unstable and hence it was not possible.We tried for nearly 2 years and cost ended up in excess of £3,500.We eventually admitted defeat when my wonderful boy became depressed and disinterested....we had him PTS at the age of 4 1/2 years.
I hope things work out for you and our dog....good luck
Archer

We did go to one of the best places in the country though Val.  It cost us £1700 to have it done but at the time Purdy was very young about 3 and 1/2 years.  I have also got a friend with a German Spitz who also had the operation with excellent results.  She had hers done at the Cambridge vet school and has been shown since.  Purdys one was quite bad. She actually did it in the garden on the day my mum was buried so dont know to this day how she did it.   My friends boy has won a ticket since having his done. 

Perhaps its different breeds I dont know but if the alternative was amputation or death then it has got to be worth it although had the dog been 10 years old then maybe I would have reconsidered but then again knowing me I suspect not :(

Really pleased to hear of your dog's successful op at such a stressful time for you.
The first dog that I related was operated on my a local orthopaedic Vet, but my neighbour's dog has had both ops done at the RVC in Bristol.

Think it would depend on the extent of injury. One of my girls had a partial tear few yrs back. She had a lot of cage rest out for toilet only. 6wks of that we went started on lead walking for coupl mins & very slowly built it up. Took a long time but that worked for her glad to say :)

Christine, Spain.

My old Beardie had the operation to repair his cruciate when it was torn badly will twisting to avoid another dog. The surgery was very stressful for all of us.  He had to be carried out to toilet for about 10 days and had only lead excersise for 6 months.  He did recover well though and lived a normal life, no limp at all.

My springer partially tore his cruciate ligament on the last day of the shooting season earlier in the year.  He was rested for six weeks and promptly went stir crazy.  On days he limps I keep him in, on other days he's allowed to do as he pleases and run free.  Every so often I notice he doesn't put weight on his rear leg.

The shooting season starts again in a few weeks and the vet has advised only working him for half a day and dosing him up with painkillers on return home.  I knew there was a reason we had three dogs!

If the stage came that he needed an operation, or further treatment of a serious nature, we have already made the decision that we will not accept.  I couldn't restrict him as he isn't that sort of dog.  He lives to work and if he couldn't do that, it wouldn't be fair on him.  We love him dearly but I wouldn't want him to suffer.

Good luck with finding a solution.

My crossbreed Elsa, now departed had cruciate go, had the op to fix that and then the other one went. She was fine though once they were both repaired. Lost her at 12 years old to chronic renal failure.

My vet said with cruciates, the three F's often applies Fat (cheek) Female and over Five!

They were done by specialist orthopaedic surgeon

HTH Kat

Hi my newf has had both cruitiate ligaments done in both back legs (developemental problem both were as bad as each other) and over a year on you wouldn't be able to tell. The recovery period is about 12 weeks and involved four weeks total rest no walks, four weeks building muscle by giving gentle on lead walks- 5 minutes 3 times a day to four weeks 10 minutes 3 times a day. I was really worried especially with it being both legs but now she is totally fine.:) The operation was called a tibial plateau levelling osteotomy and cost about £2500 each leg (covered by insurance thank god), the specialist I went to see was absolutly brilliant but I was recommended him by another newf owner so insisted that my vet refer me to him.

Nikki

What a cheek!  My purdy was only 3 and was in no way fat but she was female.  Reading this it has made me realise how lucky we have been with Purdy.  I shouldnt keep saying it but she has never had any reoccurance or any stiffness although the xray did show some arthritus. I do wonder if the result is better from breed to breed and possibly the surgeons skills. 

Not like me to be the one with the lucky result ;)

My mums GSDxRottie has had both his legs operated on when he was younger, and has pins in them. He is 10 years old now, and apart from the odd bit of stiffness he is fine now. You have to be patient during the recovery period, as the dog will need to take things very slowly. But the operation certainly gave Storm a new lease of life.

I have had 2 dogs operated on for cruciates.  Addison had to have a complete join again as his had snapped.  Asti had her's mended by a different way with a piece of wire to join the 2 ends back together, she is now 14 & half and it has never bothered her at all.   There are about 10 different ways to repair a cruciate!!!!!

My dogs uncle had to have his cruciate repaired, it was long while until he was better, but he is fine now. I actually have the same problem, I have ruptured my cruciate ligamnet ! I am waiting for my surgery date to come through, I have had lots of problems with me knee, in July I had an Arthoscopy and they cut a large piece of torn cartlidge out. Now when I have my cruciate repaired I will be in hospital for 3 days, have a brace on my knee, and will be off work for about two months!! Major Physio afterwards - joy!!

Rachel

Hi - my 6 1/2 year old Westie was diagnosed with cruciate ligament injury to his right hind leg just over 18 months ago. He was referred to an orthopaedic vet who gave us 3 options: 1) complete rest and see if that helps (how do you rest a Westie?) 2) have traditional cruciate surgery 3) or Tibial Palteau Levelling Osteotomey (TPLO). Due to the conformation of Charlie's hind legs it was decided that the TPLO surgery would be the best option for him, which turned out to be true. The cost was covered by Petplan (thank goodness I had him insured). His leg has been fine since the surgery but the vet did warn us that the other leg normally goes the same way within 12 months and we are now seeing signs of pain and reluctance to walk any distance on his left leg. He has also been diagnosed with arthritis in both hind legs which doesn't help. So it looks like he will need some sort of surgery to his left leg soon - hey ho!. I suggest you join the Orthodogs Yahoo Group for more information on the options and treatment of cruciate ligament injuries. I found the group really helpful when trying to decide what treatment was best for my Westie. Here is the link  orthodogs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com  In the meantime you could begin to give your dog Glucosamine & Chondroitin (see your vet for the correct amount to give).

My boy did his cruciate ligament.
He got his foot caught down a rabbit hole.
He was opperated on .16th November went to Crufts following March and got third in his class.Less than 4 months.
It was very hard work.I slept down stairs with him.And did everything specialist told us.
We took him swimming and also bought a magnetic box for him.
The specialist was over the moon when we told him.
He is nearly 10 now .He was opperated on .On his second birthday.
He has no trouble with it at all.
I think the op cost about £500 that was with a referal fee.
We are very lucky to now have the specialist as our vet.
Dog

See this page for information on the surgery: http://www.nzymes.com/Articles/cruciate_ligament_rupture.htm

Thank you for your replys, but Frankie seems to be getting worse. He goes to hydrotherapy twice a week tues & thurs he seems fine after, he's been five times now and just gentle exercise. But last sat he seemed to lose use of both back legs hobbling along not wanting to walk, next day he was back to his normal half fitness self. This sat same again hardly walk didn't want to put pressure on either leg, rearly laboured walk almost dragging his legs, can even jump on the settee and find it a struggle to stand up and at times slips over. this has carried on now for four days, I am going back to the vets today but have little confidence in them. can someone enlighten me please.

Hi. My golden retriever has hip dysplasia and when he started going slightly lame on his back right leg I thought it was his hips. Vets took x-rays and said it was not his hips but both of his knees in his hind leg - he had what was called "rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament". The vet said the only option was surgery called Arthroscopy and luckily I have insurance so he had his first operation on 7th July this year and has made a brilliant recovery so far. I have combined it with hydrotherapy. The operation involved sheering part of his femur and then putting in a plate and screw. He will also have to have his back left leg done as well. I can't speak highly enough of the vet he was referred to. I am in London but had to bring him to Northampton for the surgery. Don't take any rubbish from your vet - tell him you want your dog referred. The place mine was referred to was called Abington Park Veterinary Surgery - their phone number is 01604 644171 and they are in Moulton, Northampton. They are just a normal vets as well as doing surgery. They also have a website called www.abingtonvets.co.uk. The vet I saw was called Mr. Prior. Your dog is the important thing in this story - override your own vets if necessary and get him seen soon.

Hi Guest,

I have replied to you on general HD thread lack of sleep wasn't thinking.

I've put Cambridge University  number on for you they take self referals and give advice they are the specialists in Europe using latest advanced orthopaedic techniques and cancer treatments then teach these to other specialist vets around the country.

Briony :-)