Knee injuries, such as a torn CCL (cranial cruciate ligament), can happen unexpectedly in dogs. In this post, our Los Angeles vets discuss what happens if your dog experiences a knee injury and how surgery can help.
Protecting Your Dog's Knees From Injury
Healthy and pain-free knees are essential for your dog to live an active lifestyle. Your vet can recommend various high-quality dog foods and supplements to help keep your dog's joints in good condition. You can also ensure that you provide your dog with appropriate exercise for their age and breed. Some pet parents also use a knee brace to help support the joints, preventing injury.
Even so, cruciate injuries (or ACL injuries, as they are sometimes called) can occur and cause your dog great discomfort.
The Cranial Cruciate Ligament in Dogs
The dog's cranial cruciate ligament (CCL, ACL, or cruciate) is one of two leg ligaments connecting the shin bone to the thigh bone and allowing for proper (pain-free) knee function.
Knee pain stemming from a torn cruciate ligament can come on suddenly during exercise but is equally likely to develop gradually over time. If your dog has injured their cruciate ligament and continues to run, jump, and play, the injury may quickly become much more severe.
Causes of a Dog's Knee Injury
If your pooch has a torn cruciate, pain is caused by the knee's instability and a motion called 'tibial thrust'.
Tibial thrust is a sliding motion caused by the transmission of weight up the dog's shin bone (tibia) and across the knee, causing the shinbone to 'thrust' forward to the dog's thigh bone (femur). The forward thrust movement occurs because the top of the tibia is sloped, and the dog's injured cruciate cannot prevent the unwanted movement.
Signs of a Dog Knee Injury
If your dog is suffering from an injured cruciate and experiencing knee pain, they will not be able to run or walk normally and will likely display other symptoms such as:
- Stiffness following exercise
- Pronounced limping in their hind legs
- Difficulties rising off of the floor (particularly after rest, following exercise)
Treating a Dog With a Torn Ligament
Cruciate injuries rarely heal without treatment. If your dog is showing signs of a torn cruciate, it's important to make an appointment for an examination and have the condition diagnosed so that treatment can begin before symptoms become more severe. Often, dogs with a single torn cruciate will quickly injure the second knee.
If your dog is diagnosed with a torn cruciate, your vet will likely recommend one of three knee surgeries to help your canine companion regain normal mobility. It's important to note that not all vets perform these surgeries, and in some cases, your pup may be referred to a veterinary surgeon for treatment.
ELSS / ECLS - Extracapsular Lateral Suture Stabilization
Extracapsular Lateral Suture Stabilization is often used to treat dogs that weigh less than 50 pounds and works by preventing tibial thrust with the help of a surgically placed suture. The suture stabilizes the dog's knee by pulling the joint tight and preventing the front-to-back sliding of the tibia.
This allows the cruciate to heal and the muscles surrounding the knee to regain their strength. ELSS surgery is a relatively quick and uncomplicated procedure with a good success rate in small—to medium-sized dogs.
TPLO - Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy
TPLO surgery is a reliable treatment for a torn cruciate and aims to reduce tibial thrust without relying on the dog's cruciate. This treatment involves making a complete cut through the top of the tibia (the tibial plateau) and then rotating it to change its angle. Finally, a metal plate is added to stabilize the cut bone as it heals. Your dog's leg will gradually heal and strengthen over several months following TPLO surgery.
TTA - Tibial Tuberosity Advancement
TTA is similar to TPLO and involves surgically separating the front part of the tibia from the rest of the bone, then adding a spacer between the two sections to move the front section up and forward. This surgery prevents much of the tibia thrust movement from occurring.
As with TPLO surgery, a bone plate will be attached to hold the front section of the tibia in its correct position until the bone has had sufficient time to heal. Dogs with a steep tibial plateau (angle of the top section of the tibia) tend to be excellent candidates for TTA surgery.
When Your Dog Needs Knee Surgery
After a thorough examination of your dog's knee movement and geometry, your vet will consider your dog's age, weight, size, and lifestyle and then recommend the best treatment for your dog. This may include one of several types of knee surgery to repair the ligament and restore mobility.
Your Dog's Recovery Process After Knee Surgery
The truth is that healing completely from knee surgery is a long process. At the same time, many dogs can walk as soon as 24 hours after surgery. A full recovery and a return to normal activities will take 12 - 16 weeks or more. Carefully follow your vet's post-operative instructions to get your dog back to normal activity levels. Allowing your dog to run and jump before the knee completely recovers could lead to re-injury.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.