[skrpio]

Hi ,
I am new to this forum and have just learnt that my 16 month old Dogue De Bordeaux has torn his cruciate ligament and has to have surgery. The vet specialist has told me it will cost NZ$4200.00 - ouch.. but others have said he does not need TPLO as a normal cruciate operation will fix it. I have scanned the net and found out that TPLO is recommended for large breed dogs over 50lb - my dog is 130lb. Has anyone had success with either of these surgeries ? My boy (Brock) is a show dog so I am worried that there will be excessive scarring or a pronounced limp that may hamper him from getting the last few challenges he needs to become a champion. He will get the leg fixed even if it means he can no longer be shown but I am wondering if there is a way that the op can be done without visible scarring. Sorry if this post seems a bit garbled but I am very confused about which way will be the best for him. I have one person telling me TPLO, 3 people telling me normal method, and one saying shoot him. Well I am not listening to that one and told him #$%&*x off. (Excuse me.) Brock is still a puppy and does not know the meaning of quietly or slowly. Also we have a multi-storied house so I am concerned about the stairs. At his weight I cannot carry him. He is not over weight in fact he is probably on the skinny side so I cannot trim him down - he is just a very big dog.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[doglover6049]

Don't do it if you don't have to. We did and now I regret putting us and the dog through the surgery. I would have opted for some other fix. The recovery is slow and long, having stairs is a problem as evidenced by the fact that my dog broke all but one of the screws holding the plate in place. We have multi-levels as well and I weigh around 120 lbs. my dog weighs 85 lbs., I cannot lift and carry him without injuring myself. I have used a sling to help him, but containing a dog is like trying to catch a greased pig. I say pain pills and let the dog live a dog's life.