For the past few days Levi (American Cocker) has been lame. A trip to the vet on Friday raised the likelyhood of it being his cruciate ligaments. I've googled and researched and I think I know what to expect in terms of treatment and convalescence, but as my husband picked Levi up from the surgery this evening, after he had spent the day there having x-rays done, and didn't ask for an estimate of costs.

So, be gentle with me, am I going to have to sweet talk my 'flexible friend'?

Anybody got any first hand experience?

Dawn R.

A neighbour's dog had one repaired at the RVC Bristol last summer and it was £1400.  That was after his own Vet's 8 weeks of 'let's try this' and 'let's try that' for £300.  Whilst the dog was recovering - 3 months on lead only exercise - the other one went.  That was £1200.  The bitch, a rescued GSDxdobe is still limping, obviously uncomfortable and still on lead only exercise from last June and looks very miserable.  She doesn't even have the pleasure of eating as her meals have been reduced to a couple of cupfuls, due to her lack of activity.  I would have to consider very carefully whether I put one of my dogs through it. 
I do know of others who have made a complete recovery.  I hope that it works for you.

Willow my oldest bitch had hers done 2 1/2 months ago it cost us £350 in total. My vets were pretty certain what the problem was from the start although did give her over the weekend with Metacalm on strict rest to see if it was a strain but on returning as there was no improvement took her  in for investigation under GA and because it was a ruptured cruciate they did the op straight away. It has been fun (Not):rolleyes: trying to keep to the recovery schedule and she isnt on free uncontrolled running yet but has recovered well so far :D

Edited to add she weighed 18kg on day of op and as weight effects cost just thought I would mention it

Well, doesn't that just go to show the difference in charges????!!!!!!!!:rolleyes:

Yep Val it does and I must admit when I took her for the first consultation I was dreading it. Dont get me wrong she would have had the op no matter the cost but I must admit I was as pleasently suprised as I could be about a bill for £350 and my vet is know as the expensive one in the area but living up north as they say can have some advantages.. Shes a BC by the way and has never been depressed about the cage rest and lack of long walks but I do think shes getting fed up of short rations to keep from adding weight to the problem :D

I'm in Somerset, not usually an expensive place, and my neighbour spent nearly that much on consultations, anti inflammatories and X-rays before even getting to the RVC!!!  I'm pleased to hear that your girl is not depressed.  Heidi used to spend an hour a day chasing her ball on the beach!  Her face when she's pounding the pavement just breaks my heart!

Fingers crossed for you and yours Dawn!!

Thanks all, I'm dreading talking to the vet tomorrow. £350 I could hack but £1200 would be just out of the question. I would have no option but to go down the conservative treatment route, and do the painkillers and glucosamine, and hope for the best. Suddenly insurance seems like a brilliant idea.:rolleyes: The thing is when you have seven, the premiums are just too much a month to be viable.

Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see.

Dawn R.

I thought I would update the story of Levi and his cruciate ligament. Recovery without surgery.

It's been 15 weeks since Levi ' did his leg in' and although my vet estimated the cost of surgery at only £420, I still decided to wait and see.

Levi has been on Glucosamine and Chondroitin, Cod Liver Oil and Vitamin C and on cage rest for 6 weeks, followed by a further 6 weeks of toddling about the house, no stairs no furniture no jumping and no walks. Then I took him out for 5 minutes of footpath walking on alternate days of the first week out. That was really just up to the top of the street and back. The next week he got 5 minutes each day, and now he's getting a 20 minute off lead walk at our local football field each day (I hasten to add that he goes out without any of my other dogs). So now we're at the stage where he's only got a mild limp, he's off the Metacam and is using the leg as normal and his thigh muscle is beginning to build up again.

There were times when I thought I'd made the wrong decision, and thought I should have opted for the surgery, but now he's doing great and I'm glad we have done it ourselves. Here's hoping the impovement continues.

Dawn R.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thrilled for you and Levi!! :D

My neighbour's dog who had her operations last summer is still juggling her position for at least 10-15 seconds every time she tries to sit down. :rolleyes:

Thats brilliant news dawn, i forgot to update you on slinky (as you know she tore hers a couple of weeks ago) the vet is amazed at her recovery of only 2 weeks and she is allowed to go on 5 min walks a day now. my vet thinks she has recovered so well due to the strict rest in the first week. i dont think it was as bad as first thought though because she is walking on her leg without any problems and is off the painkillers. 

well done to levi

becky

That is fanatastic news. Mine had to have the TPLO surgery as the joint was too loose. I've been taking him to hydrotherapy once a week and I think that has helped his recovery a lot. Hydrotherapy may be a fun, stress-free way for Levi to get some exercise and have some fun. I chose a place staffed by vetinary nurses and certified hydrotherapists so they seemed to know how much he could handle. Good luck, I hope he continues to recover. The surgery was tough going.

Glad to hear Levi is getting better! Hydrotherapy - is brilliant for building up muscles without damaging joints, definitely worth a try.
And if it looks as though he may need surgery, then there is also acupuncture as an alternative!
Get well soon Levi
Maria

i have been lucky enougth to assist a vet preform several cruciate operations.

and also been there to see the paitents come round in recovery.
this operation is actually quite common. we have quite a few in. ussualy from the result of a dog jumping off furnature and landing heavily and awlkwardly.

it is an expensive operation. but it should be covered by your insurance company. the dog will need to be kept inmobile after surgery. most will not use the leg by choise and it is ussualy carried for a few weeks held in a bent position. once the cruciate has healed, some dogs need physio to help them to use the leg again. as you do get muscle wastage.

it is a big operation, and so is costly. anywhere up to 1000, depending on the age, and size of the dog. 

Thanks Wolfwoman, :) but I don't have insurance. I have seven dogs, and there is no way that many premiums is an option. I doubt I would get much change from £100 a month

Dawn R.

Hi Dawn

My Dobe did his cruciate in 3 years ago (next door's cat + a wet kitchen floor!) He had the op done cost me the best part of £3500 he had to go to an orthopaedic vet - thank god for insurance. After the op he was allowed in the garden to do what he had to and back in again for the first 3 weeks - vet wanted him caged in the house but I could not get a cage big enough so in the end I ended up taking the matress downstairs and sleeping on the floor with him for 3 months while he recovered, must add that he was healing fine until some twit on a scrambler was riding down the footpath and I had to yank him out the way - split his wound open - that is why it took him so long to recover.  It was horrendous for him and if he ever needs his other leg done I would have serious doubts about it seeing what he was put through with this one.

I have put him on arnica/ruta/rhus tox mix 200c one tablet twice a day - costs me £15 for 200 tablets - it has made a huge difference to him.  If you are interested in these tablets - I can give you the details of where to order them from.

After claiming on his insurance for this op - my premiums went up to £11 a month and now that he is nearly 7 they will be going up again!!!

I had pretty much the same with my male rott poohbear - just the consultation at the specialists cost me £150 then the op and after care, x-rays etc cost me well over £3k - he had a TPLO and recovered very well with no problems to date ;)  My premium has not gone up!

Hi Enfielrotts

Mine had the TPLO repair too, the initial op itself went extremley well - it was the nutcases on the off road motorcycles that caused all of Max's problems.

He is fine now but he did take a long time to recover - oh the joys of owning pets.

My insurance has not gone up that much - its still only £11 a month - but I must say that I had no problem with Tesco's paying out for his op.

Crikey I'm flabbergasted at how much a cruciate operation costs now.  Ok, it's over 10 years since I paid out for one on a dog but I had change from £200 then........surely the cost of medicine etc. hasn't gone up THAT much in 10 years?