Content
- Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs - Definition
- Symptoms of Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs and Diagnosis
- Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs - Treatment
- Recovery from Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs
- Conservative Treatment for Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs if Surgery Is Not Possible
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will talk about the torn cruciate ligament in dogs, a problem that affects locomotion and, therefore, quality of life. In addition, it is an injury that will produce considerable pain and will therefore require veterinary assistance, better if you are a specialized or experienced professional in orthopedics and traumatology, an essential requirement if our dog needs to undergo surgery. We will also comment in this article on how the postoperative period of this type of intervention should be, so keep reading to know How to Treat Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs, what recovery consists of and much more.
Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs - Definition
This problem is relatively frequent and serious, and can affect dogs of all ages, especially if they exceed 20 kg in weight. Is Produced by a sudden breakup or by a degeneration. Ligaments are elements that help stabilize your joints. In dogs' knees we find two cruciate ligaments: the anterior and the posterior, however, the one that tends to break more frequently due to its position is the anterior, which joins the tibia to the femur. So, its breakage, in this case, causes instability in the knee.
Younger, more active dogs are the most prone to this injury, as they often tear the ligament. due to trauma or inserting the foot into a hole while running, producing hyperextension. In contrast, in older animals, especially from 6 years of age, sedentary or obese, the ligament is damaged by degeneration.
Sometimes the ligament rupture also damages the meniscus, which is like cartilage that cushions the areas where two bones must be joined, such as the knee. Therefore, when the meniscus is injured, the joint will be affected and may become inflamed. In the long run, there would be degenerative arthritis and permanent lameness if left untreated. The lateral ligaments can also be affected.
Symptoms of Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs and Diagnosis
In these cases we will see that, suddenly, the dog starts to limp, keeping the affected leg higher, curled up, that is, without supporting it at any time, or you can only rest your toes on the floor, taking very short steps.Due to the pain produced by the breakup, it is very likely that the animal will scream or cry intensely. We can also note the inflamed knee, very pain if we touch it, and above all, if we try to stretch it. At home, then, we can feel the paw looking for the focus of the injury and identifying the symptoms of torn cruciate ligament in dogs, also observing the pads and between the toes, as sometimes the limp is produced by a wound on the feet.
Once the knee pain is identified, we must transfer our dog to the veterinarian, who can diagnose the breakup performing a physical examination by palpation of the knee, as with the so-called drawer test. Also, with a X-ray you can assess the condition of your knee bones. The data we provide also helps in diagnosis, so we should let you know when the dog has started to limp, how he limps, whether this decreases with rest or not, or whether the dog has suffered a recent blow. We should know that it is characteristic of a cruciate ligament tear in dogs to start with a lot of pain, which will decrease until the tear affects the entire knee, at which time the pain returns due to the damage resulting from the break, such as arthrosis.
Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs - Treatment
Once the veterinarian has confirmed the diagnosis, the standard treatment is surgery, with the aim of restoring joint stability. Left untreated, a cruciate ligament tear will cause osteoarthritis within a few months. To perform this operation, the veterinarian can choose between various techniques which we can summarize in the following:
- Extracapsular, they do not restore the ligament and stability is achieved by post-surgical periarticular fibrosis. Sutures are usually placed outside the joint. These techniques are faster but have worse results in larger dogs.
- Intracapsular, which are techniques that seek to restore the ligament through tissue or implant through the joint.
- Osteotomy Techniques, more modern, consist of modifying the forces that make it possible to move and keep the knee stable. Specifically, they change the degree of inclination of the tibial plateau in relation to the patellar ligament, which allows the knee to be articulated without using the injured ligament. These are techniques such as TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Overpass), TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy), TWO (Wedge Osteotomy) or TTO (Triple Knee Osteotomy).
the traumatologist, evaluating the particular case of our dog, will propose the most appropriate technique for the situation, as they all have advantages and disadvantages. For example, TPLO is not recommended for puppies because of the damage that can occur to the bone growth line when performing the osteotomy. Regardless of the technique, it's important assess meniscus status. If there is damage, it must also be treated, otherwise the dog will continue to limp after the operation. It should be borne in mind that there is a risk of tearing the cruciate ligament in the other leg during the months following the first.
Recovery from Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs
After surgery, our veterinarian can recommend us to physiotherapy, which will consist of exercises that move the joint in a passive way. Of course, we must always follow their recommendations. Among these activities, the swimming, highly recommended if we are able to access a suitable space. We must also, in order to get the best recovery and avoid muscle wasting, keep our dog healthy. restricted exercise, which sometimes means keeping it in a smaller space, where there is no possibility of jumping or running, much less climbing and descending stairs. For the same reason, you should take him for a walk on a short leash, and you can't let him go during the post-op period until the vet is discharged.
Conservative Treatment for Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs if Surgery Is Not Possible
As we have seen, the generally chosen treatment for cruciate ligament tears in dogs is surgery. Without this, in just a few months the damage to the knee will be so severe that the dog will not be able to have a good quality of life. However, if our dog already has arthrosis in the knee, is very old or if you have any factor that makes it impossible to perform a surgery, we will have no alternative but to treat you with anti-inflammatory to alleviate the pain, although we must know that there will come a time when they will no longer have an effect.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.