Posted: 8/1/2024 6:54:52 PM EDT
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Damn, when it rains it pours sometimes. 10 month old GSD/Malinois mix started limping suddenly, then went full tripod for a few hours. Favoring the rear right leg pretty good when mobile. Vet could not get a good palpitation going because my pup is an asshole towards strangers and we were a walk in/urgent care and sedation wasn't an option today. Got two solutions, a traditional surgery that the vet says will probably fail eventually or a newer TLPO surgery where they actually do some bone grinding and reface the surface. I picked the TLPO as an option and will be referred to a different doc where we will sedate, image and confirm the tear then cut into her. The vet had to have her own dog get this repair and was confident in it. Anyone had this done and have advice? This dang dog, just 6 months ago ate some things that caused a 100 mile Animal ER ride/two night stay/holiday weekend that wasn't cheap, now we are talking thousands more in knee repair. I suppose I should expect to have to repair the other leg at some point too.  Attached File Attached File |
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A TPLO is a proven procedure for ACL correction so if that what was recommended then I would go that route. I think currently statistics show around 60% of dogs that tear one ACL will eventually tear the other so I would start putting money away for that just in case. Megatarsal DVM |
"she's not going to think that you've embarked on a secret life of crime... sketchy underworld figures, like gang members, cartel members, INTERPOL fugitives, and the lizard people.
And it's that last part as to why we need a vet. "L_JE"
And it's that last part as to why we need a vet. "L_JE"
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Originally Posted By MegaTarsal: A TPLO is a proven procedure for ACL correction so if that what was recommended then I would go that route. I think currently statistics show around 60% of dogs that tear one ACL will eventually tear the other so I would start putting money away for that just in case. Megatarsal DVM I appreciate it. I've seen that same statistic floating around, this dog is expensive. |
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I had a vet recommend that surgery when one of our dogs was a pup. She was limping really bad after doing dumb pup things.We took her to place where we could get her in before the weekend. We ended up going to our regular vet the next week. He recommended monitoring for a while. She ended up being fine. So, I'd say get a second opinion. |
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My regular vet suggested an ACL tear in my roughly 10yr old chihuahua/jack russell mix due to some cloudiness on the X-ray. She referred me to a guy who specializes in ACL repair - About a 2 week wait to get seen by him. Everyday vet put her on carprofen for pain management and she started doing better. By the time the apt rolls around she was doing better, and he did his exam and suggested that there was an injury/trauma, but her ACL was still intact and I didn't have to fork out tons of money. That was my birthday present last year, a happy healthy dog |
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Years ago my 1st Giant Schnauzer tore his acl. Seems like he was 5 or 6 years old. He was a big boy for a GS at 125lb. I called him my pet moose. I took him to 3 different surgical centers for opinions. 2 of them recommended tplo. The 3rd one only did the other procedure that I cant remember the name of. Its not as good as tplo for larger dogs. Its where they essentially rebuild the acl with a synthetic material. The surgeon told me that eventually that material would fail but it would hold long enough for scar tissue to form which would stabilize the joint. Seemed screwy to me. From what I understand tplo is a very common/successful procedure but also really invasive IMO. I started reading about rehab thru restriction and opted to try that. Essentially just drastically restricting his movement for several weeks. Initially I would help support him when he walked out to do his business and then not allow much more activity. Then eventually I was able to let him walk on a leash. No running. I don't remember exactly how long but eventually I was able to let him have free range and he was fine. No limping and did not seem to be in pain. I essentially replicated the synthetic acl procedure minus the surgery. There was a great website with info and tips on how to go about rehabbing without surgery. He never had another issue with his knee. I did quit playing fetch with him because he was go all out sprinting when we played fetch and I didn't want to chance it. It might not work for all dogs but I wanted to at least give it a shot before I had his knee bones sawed off and screwed back on upside down. The Moose. 
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Originally Posted By JohnSmith6073: I appreciate it. I've seen that same statistic floating around, this dog is expensive. If your dog is eating shit you did not 'allow' it to eat - You (your 'training') are the problem. That will be expensive in the long run and make for a weaker dog. Not the dogs fault IMO. |
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Originally Posted By Aaron56: If your dog is eating shit you did not 'allow' it to eat - You (your 'training') are the problem. That will be expensive in the long run and make for a weaker dog. Not the dogs fault IMO. Yeah thanks dad. We all strive for your perfection. Some day, maybe. |
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If the cranial crucial ligament is torn the TPLO is a much better option than the nylon band surgery. I have done 2 nylon band surgeries and 4 TPLO procedures on the various dogs I have owned and TPLO better all around. It also has a much shorter recovery period. Be forewarned, it is not uncommon for a dog to blow out the knee on the other side 6 months to a year after. They end up favoring the non-surgical knee and putting more stress on it. For animals with a predisposition to knee issues, it accelerates things. That said, all of my dogs have recovered well and other than having to do the other side within a year, they have been “good as new” with no complications. |
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Originally Posted By 98Redline: If the cranial crucial ligament is torn the TPLO is a much better option than the nylon band surgery. I have done 2 nylon band surgeries and 4 TPLO procedures on the various dogs I have owned and TPLO better all around. It also has a much shorter recovery period. Be forewarned, it is not uncommon for a dog to blow out the knee on the other side 6 months to a year after. They end up favoring the non-surgical knee and putting more stress on it. For animals with a predisposition to knee issues, it accelerates things. That said, all of my dogs have recovered well and other than having to do the other side within a year, they have been “good as new” with no complications. That's reassuring thanks. Ran out of her Carprofen and the limp returned, so I guess it's gonna require a fix. X ray diagnostic appointment is Monday, Doc said I need to give him 20 seconds of a relatively still dog and he can sedate her. I'm thinking about bringing welding gloves. 
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Let them sedate her. They use something with a really short effective time and can give her something to reverse it pretty quick. If the CCL is torn, don’t delay in getting the surgery done. In my experience the outcomes are better the quicker you address it. I would even say if it a partial tear (>50%) just bite the billet and get the surgery. You will end up doing it anyway and you can delay your buddy’s chronic pain and soreness. |
| My 2 lab sisters both got it done when they were young. I got lucky and neither needed their other leg done. They recovered well and although one passed away last year, they other one is still running fairly strong probably 9 years later. |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
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Originally Posted By 98Redline: Let them sedate her. They use something with a really short effective time and can give her something to reverse it pretty quick. If the CCL is torn, don’t delay in getting the surgery done. In my experience the outcomes are better the quicker you address it. I would even say if it a partial tear (>50%) just bite the billet and get the surgery. You will end up doing it anyway and you can delay your buddy’s chronic pain and soreness. Took her in this morning, was able to get an intramuscular sedative in. Was not nearly as bad as the initial visit. Xrays and palpitation show evidence of looseness and spongieness in the knee. Left knee is "tight", right knee not as tight. Growth plates are closed. Dr suggested we continue to exercise moderately and if she shows any decline that the TPLO is a go. Attached File |
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Our lab had the same thing. Was bad and tore us up. She loved to run and we had no idea what to do. The wife found a brace made by Ortho Dog. It was a bitch for a while and she acted like we beat her when she wore it but that along with some light pain meds and joint supplements while restricting her activity completely fixed her issue. We let her run some but not like before but she is 10 this year. It worked wonders. I highly recommend you give it a try. It was pricey, About $400 but it worked as advertised. And cheaper than surgery. |
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We had a bandog that had TLPO on both knees, when one goes the other will most likely have the same problem. He was 150 pounds and lived till 12 years old, the surgery held up for 10 years. He was out of Curly the dog from the old Fear Factor shows. This was our dogs sire Curly when he was almost 10 years old.  Working Mastiff - Curly |
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Originally Posted By thumper_abn: Our lab had the same thing. Was bad and tore us up. She loved to run and we had no idea what to do. The wife found a brace made by Ortho Dog. It was a bitch for a while and she acted like we beat her when she wore it but that along with some light pain meds and joint supplements while restricting her activity completely fixed her issue. We let her run some but not like before but she is 10 this year. It worked wonders. I highly recommend you give it a try. It was pricey, About $400 but it worked as advertised. And cheaper than surgery. Will be considering one of these in the meantime and for recovery. Exercise has resumed, she is occasionally stiff and favors that side post session. I can see how they consider this a progressive problem. I have switched from launching balls to throwing frisbees, which has seemed to help. Thank you. |