There are generally two ways a dog s cranial cruciate ligament can rupture.
Ccl repair in dogs.
Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy tplo tibial osteotomy tto.
Ccl surgery is the most common orthopedic surgery performed in dogs and is said to make up 85 of all dog orthopedic surgeries performed every year.
A ruptured ccl is the most common orthopedic injury in dogs and results in a painful and unstable joint.
Dogs are also more prone to ccl tears if they ve had a previous ccl injury on the opposite leg.
A small dog may do better with some acl injuries without surgery while a larger dog is most likely going to need surgical repair.
If your dog goes lame in one of their hind legs they may have torn or ruptured their cranial cruciate ligament or ccl similar to the acl in humans.
This ligament connects the back of the femur the bone above the knee with the front of the tibia the bone below the knee.
There are a few common surgical techniques used to repair the cruciate ligament in dogs.
Cranial cruciate ligament disease can affect dogs of all sizes breeds and ages but rarely cats.
A body slam during rough play can leave a dog sitting on the sidelines howling.
A dog cruciate ligament tear is typically treated with surgery followed by medication rehab and weight management.
The ccl is responsible for keeping the tibia in place beneath the femur and stabilizing the knee joint.
Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy tplo and 3.
We don t know yet if there is a genetic component to ccl ruptures.
Cruciate surgery is performed to repair a torn cranial cruciate ligament ccl in the stifle knee which is same as the acl in humans.
Partial tearing of the crcl is common in dogs and progresses to a full tear over time.
The two main causes of cruciate ligament rupture in dogs are degeneration of the ligament and trauma.
A lateral suture technique aka extracapsular repair 2.
Why did my dog rupture this ligament.
40 60 of dogs that have crcld in one knee will at some future time develop a similar problem in the other knee.
If left untreated a ruptured ccl will lead to progressive and irreversible degenerative joint disease arthritis.
A tear can result from an athletic injury in a healthy dog this could even mean landing wrong when running or jumping.
Dog acl surgical options.
I find most dogs thirty pounds or over require surgery.
If the acl is completely torn even tiny dogs most likely need surgery particularly if they re active.
And ccl tears can result from long term chronic degeneration.
Once a licensed veterinarian diagnoses your dog with a ccl tear and it is decided that surgery is the best option for your dog there are three main orthopedic procedures to repair an acl tear.
Causes of a cruciate ligament injury.
Dog acl surgery or otherwise known as canine cruciate surgery is a very stressful and expensive endeavor for dog owners.