A torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is a common knee injury for dogs similar to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries for humans. Hi Stephanie, Since I havent examined your pup myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions about why her leg trembles during and after exercise. Katie and Paddy x. Hi Katie, And is 6 months old. Licking is calming, and these toys give your pup something to work on for awhile. We plowed a path around the property and she seems to be doing better not having to walk through the deep snow. Like all of us, we would be filled with sadness should we lose her early. However, im unsure about where she should be at the moment in terms of progress. Remember that like humans, not all dogs recover at the same speed. Chin up, and cheers to all the dog parents out there who love their furBabies as unconditionally as they love us! This was about 4 days ago. But with larger breed dogs that are very active I usually recommend surgery. TPLO surgery levels the tibia to prevent the femur from sliding forward, thereby stabilizing the joint. His surgery was about 2 weeks ago and the first 4 days he seemed to have what I referred to as drop foot in both hind legs. Dog Knee Surgery Success Rates: TPLO, Tightrope, TTA, and Reinjury After TPLO Surgery; Saul - Bilateral TPLO; Sampson - TPLO with multiple complications; Dog ACL Surgery Cost in 2021 Dog: Find Out What The Cost Of How Do I Know If My Dog Needs Surgery? It is also possible there could be a muscle strain or aggravated nerve. I got tramadol for Domino, and it helped tremendously. I have 4 children with three of them attending university right now. Hi Jessica, As you have noted, often the cure is worse than the initial problem. He is also going to give her some muscle building steroids. Also, keep other animals out of the recovery area so your dog isnt tempted to play with them. It could be the knee, hip, or ankle joint. So far, all is going normally except he isnt drinking much. Our vet said that he may not need the second surgery because of the brace and how well hes responding to it once his other heals so we thought there was no harm in trying. Bilateral TPLO Surgery Daisy the Goldendoodle, Dog Knee Surgery Success Rates: TPLO, Tightrope, TTA, and, Sampson - TPLO with multiple complications, Dog ACL Surgery Cost in 2021 Dog: Find Out What The Cost Of. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention! Were now up to 15 mins per day. Our lab mix had bilateral TPLO surgery 9 months ago and still seems to be struggling to scratch her ears. Usually if the surgical site has become compromised you will notice increased pain, inflammation, swelling, a decrease in use of the leg, etc. Additionally, a dog can develop a joint or bone infection in the weeks or months after surgery. Shes correctly taking Trazadone 2x day to help keep her calm but it doesnt seem to do much. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. We treated her for that, then had the surgery done. Peanut butterok for dogs in moderation as long as your dog isnt prone to, Raw or cooked veggiesother than onions and garlic since they are toxic to dogs, Fruitbeware of grapes, which are toxic to dogs, and blueberries which may stain your carpet. Now the surgeon says that 2 of the 3 screws holding the top of the plate are broken and it looks like the bone and plate have shifted a little bit. Hi Dr Buzby, However, if the bruised area is large, other areas of your dog start to develop bruises, or you have any concerns with how your dogs leg looks, contact your veterinarian. Im assuming your vet took x-rays at 8 weeks to make sure the bones are healing properly and the plates are where they should be. I highly recommend you contact a veterinary rehabilitation professional and have them evaluate your pup. she severed both jumping on the deck 2 weeks ago. Best wishes and good luck! If one leg was done before the other she would not have a good leg to stand on, which would force her to put all her 90lbs on a recently plated leg. In this case, the dog may have seemed fine for a bit. If you notice your dogs toes looking swollen, if the toes feel cool, and/or the two center toes are splayed apart, this may mean the bandage is too tight. You dont have to go to a specialist for this. So it is best if your dog can learn to see the crate (or another confinement area) as a relaxing, friendly, happy place. Different surgical procedures come with different considerations, and I am afraid I dont know enough details to be of much help. He walks with his right leg sticking out a little bit but overall, no issues. Over-activity can be devastating with regards to the TPLO. He has been back to jumping and playing normally, yet I do limit this activity still. We walked 4 blocks yesterday, with no problem, no limp, nothing, completely normal! They can evaluate your girl and let you know what exercises or therapies would be of most benefit to help her return to normal function. I am the one who wrote for advice as my germanshort-haired pointer was recommended to have both knees done. If you think your girl is not urinating at all, please contact your vet right away. Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy and full recovery for Dakota. Then a metal plate is attached using several screws to hold the bone together so it can heal. I did take her to the surgeon today and he said the implant feels perfect and she has good range of motion. Hi Gloria I pray your boy will continue to heal and have many happy days ahead. It is completely normal for him to not be putting much weight on the leg only 1-week post-surgery. So, unfortunately it may take time, but that is good news. It is a good sign that your girl doesnt seem to be in any pain. Today I notice more of a hump on the inner knee and Im always so worried he is undoing something. She cannot run at this point. Unfortunately, since I havent examined him myself, it is hard to accurately understand what the issues are and how to advise you to proceed. Hi Nico It is now March 29, 2023 and his third coat of hair, top layer, has not come back. I am glad the surgery was a success, and your pup seems to be healing quickly. If there are any complications such as reinjury or infection this process can take longer. She may have over-done it in the yard today, but I am worried that she has an injury to her meniscus. There is no additional bruising or swelling externally. Many thanks to my vet Dr. Gordon Corfield Gold Coast AUSTRALIA a tremendous surgeon. She had TPLO surgery 8 weeks ago. Make sure you cut back on Deramaxx/pain meds as she starts to feel better. And a full recovery can take up to 6 months. My husky is almost 10 and had tplo surgery back in June of 22. I took to giving 4 mo puppy treats to Domi (even tho hes 8 or 9!) The top section of the tibia is then rotated backward until the angle between the tibia and femur is deemed . I do think you should contact your vet and let them evaluate this issue. It might be a good idea to have some routine lab work checked or discuss the possibility of an abdominal ultrasound with your vet. They can bunch up and could cause your dog to trip and fall. Im so nervous shes going to hurt it. They have since grown back. Any advise you can provide would be appreciated. If it wasnt reinjured, the clicking sound could eventually go away. A vet that practices rehab/physical therapy can give you ideas about more exercises to do with Paddy to make sure he gains strength and mobility in the affected leg. Moving a large groggy dog yourself can be challenging. I hope you can find a way to work in a few exercises periodically without too much fuss. At this point, the surgical site should be completely healed. And, we followed the surgeons instructions and did not let him off the leash until the middle of March, 3 1/2+ months post op. Cruciate ligament injury in dogs. Could the surgery have caused this issue? She does not seem to be in pain and does not wince when I manipulate that leg but I am not being aggressive. Hes 80 lbs at a healthy weight and I was giving him 5 a day since theyre little. The recovery time for these two surgeries is similar, but dogs typically take a little longer to be fully comfortable after the TTA surgery. Cornell University Veterinary Specialists. So, no matter what surgical technique/procedure is performed, you are almost guaranteed to have arthritis form in the joint earlier than what would have happened prior to the injury. This typically happens within the first two weeks after surgery. Talk to your vet about what would be right for your dog. My best advice is to talk to your vet or schedule a consultation with a veterinary rehabilitation professional. Hi Peter, And, while it may not be your favorite solution, your vet can also prescribe your dog some medications to help take the edge off if needed. He has trouble sitting, and will keep his leg straight. We have a vet appointment tomorrow. What you do in the days or weeks leading up to surgery can also make a big difference in how easy your dogs recovery is. We have floorboards and sometimes he slips a little and Im worried this will damage his knee. A dogs natural response to a painful or irritated area like the incision is to lick. I will let you know how she is doing in rehab. But this could also be some pain or inflammation from overuse, like what you would expect with a strained muscle. If you have any doubts or concerns, please reach out to your vet. Do you think hydrotherapy would help this late post surgery/is there a chance the hardware in her leg is bad? I live in a very remote, rural location and the surgeon comes to the local vets office about once every 4-6 weeks. Cover him or her up with a blanket, ensure the TPLO recovery area is not in a drafty area, and provide a nice warm dog bed to get him or her off the cold floor. many of these surgery options vary in price. Statistically, most dogs will rupture the cruciate ligament in the other knee within a year of surgery on the first knee. I am not sure if your dogs coat will grow back to normal. (2019). The vet said this is normal, but he didnt have any of these issues when he had TPLO on hus other leg. TPLO is the abbreviation for Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy. Since having an appreciation for what the surgery entails and making preparations ahead of time are also critical to a successful recovery, I have included some questions on those topics as well as questions about the actual post-operative period. I am surprised you are seeing this issue 3 years after your dogs TPLO! I am sorry your girl is having these issues with her leg, and I understand why you are worried. The orthopedic surgeon may recommend using an ice pack on the incision and around the joint several times a day. I have a 6yr old Shih tzu by the name of Milton, we had to get a TPLO surgery done on his right knee, we are nearing week 10 on the 28th of December and we have been cleared to start walking a little more, I am currently having trouble getting my baby Milton to sit up on his own, do you have any recommendations? However, if it is becoming problematic, please contact your vet. The struggle has been keeping him calm. Veterinarian-formulated 100% pure green-lipped mussel (GLM) enhanced with Opti-MSM. Shes recovered really well despite going lame at 4 weeks. I wish I could say there was an easy way, but my own experience is that, with a large dog, it is very difficult. Consult your veterinarian if this happens. In most cases, this total cost includes pre-surgery blood work, anesthesia, anesthesia monitoring, pain medication, the surgery itself . We are just over one year post surgery and couldnt be happier with the results! Since I havent examined your dog myself, I cant make specific conclusions. TPLO surgery for dogs has become the gold-standard treatment for this kind of knee injury, especially in very large, strong, young, athletic dogs. Over the years, I have fielded many questions from my readers and clients about recovery from a TPLO (or other similar surgery). If the injury isnt corrected, the bones will become damaged and arthritis will set in. Daisy is now 5 weeks post op from her bilateral TPLO and doing amazing!! First 48-72 hours post-opYour dog will probably be non-weight bearing right after surgery. Also, early in the recovery process your dogs leg may be swollen and have a limited range of motion. She had her 14-day post opp, it went well and shes still on anti-inflammatory. The cruciate ligaments are affected by degenerative changes, and both are usually near the same degree of tearing. I did call his vet but was told to just watch him. Were the surgeries performed by an orthopedic surgeon?
