Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture

[annak]

Hi, I am new to this forum. Have a 6 year old choc lab. Very healthy except she tore her ccl. She is now most of the time getting around with her leg lifted up. We have her on Rimadyl 2 times a day. We are limiting her activity...leash only...full time inside dog... My question is has anyone chosen not to do the CCL repair and just choose careful activity? I am struggling with seeming so mean for not jumping to surgery. We have 4 kids and can't afford either surgery option ($1400.00 or 2400.00) Of course we could get credit and fix it, but how quickly will her other leg go? If we opt for the least expensive surger (graft) then her chances of the other leg tearing is still high...OMG...I am so brokenhearted ...we love our dog...She never whimpers or anytihng but she does not walk on it much of the time...

[Daveyo]

There is other options of which you can do which is considered an alternate method.

you may want to look at this one.

[moderator note: website address has been removed]

[annak]

Hi Daveyo,

Thanks for your response. I did find that website after I posted the first time. I did everything that they suggested. Our lab is already (since Dec 6) not limping anymore... a huge improvement by just restricting her movability. Before she was not walking on it at all. We are so grateful for that information. We are just going to continue with the advice and see how she heals..

[Daveyo]

Glad to hear the improvement, as this is an alternative method short of invasive surgery. It is not a homeopathic kind of treatment, but a step up but under surgery. Has some merit and some worth behind the treatment protocol.

As before many thought there is no cure for Distemper, and there is a cure for it, and the problem is getting the word out.

Actually there are two different kinds of meds to cure such. One is the Serum, and the other is the NDV. The serum is much better, but takes a lot of doing to make it, and it is hard to move it around due to FED regulations of transport. So the NDV is the next viable option and is available in most places around the world.

Keep posting and let us know the prognosis recovery report.

[billybob]

First of all, Thanks Daveyo, for your continued support with the cruciate ligament information. I've seen your posts at other websites, and Thank YOU! My dog, Billy Bob (blonde yellow lab), has one, if not two, torn cruciates, which happened in the last two weeks. The second "tear" probably would not have happened had the first been properly diagnosed. So anyway...I haven't had an MRI done yet, am working on that, but basically I've been told by two vets that I should either go with extracapsular surgery or the "gold standard" TPLO. Neither have done any diagnostic procedure except for trying to find draw in the knee, which is hard to do if the patient is not sedated. I am visiting an orthopedic surgeon on Friday, which seems to favor TPLO's, and will also be consulting Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston for an MRI. I'm trying to get as much info as possible. Billy Bob is 8 years old, and he's always been Mr. Athletic, so I'm praying for the best for him. When I think about my own physical issues, the first being a dislocated pelvis, which I was sent home with codeine and muscle relaxants without a diagnosis of dislocation, I am skeptical about conventional, allopathic medical treatments. I never would have recovered from my injury had I not gone to an osteopath, which in the 1980's, people didn't know what they were. Yet they really were the premise of health care before the industrial age and the pharmaceutical revolution. So yes, I'm a skeptic when it comes to the medical profession and invasive surgical "new wave" techniques. (And I have family in the medical profession!). I also had some sinus issues that were repeatedly treated with antibiotics until I jumped on my own band wagon and started researching for myself. Things definitely got better. So...long question short. Let's say Billy Bob does have cruciate ruptures....would you suggest TPLO, or extracapsular....given that with each, you would give a "no running, no jumping, no exceptions rule" for at least 3 or 4 months. And...what are your thoughts of no surgery?

[Daveyo]

Well, lets see that is a tall order on your questions, hehehehehe.

First, you need to get that MRI done on both legs to see the extent of the damage. Without that I myself will not proceed any further until that MRI is done.

Secondly it is kinda hard to find a VET Surgeon who specializes in this proceedure, and from what I know, there are some very good ones in California and in Texas. These VETS do know what they are doing. In fact in Texas has the best when it comes to doing DENTAL WORK ON DOGS.

Third the proceedures are highly debated. None stand out as the clear and convincing victor as each method pertains to different methods of surgical repair and means.

That MRI will sort of tell you which direction to go for the best results.

Here are some links pertaining to the cruciate problem so you need to first understand what each one does in order for you to make the right and proper judgment.

Cranial Cruciate Ligament Ruptures

Extracapsular Stabilization Method

[moderator note: website address has been removed]
[moderator note: website address has been removed]
[moderator note: website address has been removed]


Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteolomy (TPLO).

http://vetsurgerycentral.com/tplo.htm
[moderator note: website address has been removed]


If you do the surgery, definitely no running or jumping for minimum of 2 months. After that you can gradually phase your dog back to walking again but do curtail any more running around if you can possibly do. A long leash will help. You don't want it to happen again, and it can happen if that dog makes one wrong move.

Since your dog is 8 years old it won't be too long before he slows down from age. All dogs do.

A dog ages 7 years for every human year. So this makes your dog already 56 and in one more year reach retirement age. hehehehehe.

Example when you factor 7 years for one human year no wonder that Canine Distemper accelerates so fast in Dogs, whereas in humans it takes 20-25 years for it to show up with symptoms.

Make sure you give your dog a lot of vitamins and calcium to help the bones from this point on. Arthritis might set in.

The recovery factor depends on how well you nurse the dog and its genetics. Both play a role.

I cannot make any suggestions of which is the best surgery method because every case is different and each injury is not always the same. Without physically seeing the dog itself, and examinations etc, I cannot give you that kind of advice.

Since your dog has both legs shot, well the no invasive surgery option is still available depending on its severity. The one with the least severity, and minimal damage then you might want to try that option on that leg, and the other opt for the surgery. Hard to say, and easier to say if only one leg is affected, but with both, wow, well it is a toughie for you to make a choice.

Again get that MRI, it can tell you a lot of how bad the tear is and its precise location. MRI is about 99 percent accurate and leaves almost no room for any doubt. X-rays are good, but a lot of it is questionable and accuracy is about 75-80 percent. It cannot see everything like an MRI can.

Hope this helps and let us know what you decide and the MRI results. OK

[billybob]

You seem to have a concern about distemper. Why is that?

[annak]

Hey BIllyBob...I know you have read Daveyo's other posts...You also might want to look at the website
[moderator note: website address has been removed]

My 7 year old chocolate lab has one CCl tear in hind leg. We have restricted her mobility for 2 weeks...she has improved significantly. Not sure if this is recommended for all dogs but it is working for her right now. If you email this guy from his website..he gets back to you right away. He has alot of very useful information. He has over 5 dogs. I think 2-3 of them have had CCL tears...they all have improved significantly with no surgery.

Just a thought for you since you seem to like to research your options... Good luck.. We love our dogs!!!

[Daveyo]

Annak, I already told him of that link and gave it to him, look at the other earlier posts I gave him. He does have his options and a lot depends on that MRI because this dog has two of them and not just one. You have not read everything going on.

understand????

[Daveyo]

I already explained it before. Most people think there is no cure even the VETS. Such a pity. However it has nothing to do with this topic and generally is in another.

Yes I am concerned because many are being put down to sleep rather than having a chance to live a normal life with their loving owners. Many of the owners are getting bad advice because of lack of education by the VETS. Many are in it for the money and few want to study and stay up on it.

I hope that helps your question.