To say I panicked would be an understatement. I started crying hysterically and worrying about having to put him down. Well come to find out he had a stomach ulcer which was caused by the increased aspirin regimen which was prescribed by his old vet! I was so irate. But our new vet quickly calmed me down. She prescribed Tramadol for pain, Famotidine as an antacid, Flagyl as an antibiotic, and Sulcrafate to coat his ulcer.

Beau was now officially an old man. Within the next few days Beau started to smile at me again. He began eating again, however his leg was still bothering him. I knew it was something other than the hip dysplasia. So we went back to the vet a week later. She sedated him and x-rayed his hips and legs. That when we found out he had a torn ACL (or CCL, cranial cruciate ligament in dog knees).

Surgery isn’t an option because I don’t have that kind of money and Beau is too old. I would hate for him not to wake back up. I am switching him over to the raw food diet, which he loves. He is still on Tramadol. We are going to switch him to a NSAID once his tummy has had enough time to heal. Today (June 9th) he used his hurt leg for the first time in almost 3 weeks. My baby boy my never be able to walk normally again but I will do everything in my power to help him become as “normal” as possible.

Conservative Management for CCL Tear – Beau is a post from: Dog Knee Injury

“Our 11-year old yellow lab, Fargo, tore his ACL on February 4, 2010. I called the vet and he asked, “Did he go outside as a four-legged dog and return as a three-legged dog?” Which explained it precisely. We considered surgery, but, after days of research, I read about the extreme failure rate of surgery and it scared me. I stumbled upon a website called tiggerpoz.com that made so much sense. It recommended Conservative Management so, with great hope, we tried that for two months. He seemed much better as time went by, but then he would end up back at square one for some reason. I must confess we considered euthanasia because Fargo’s quality of life was not good. I went back to tiggerpoz’s website and found information on a fantastic knee brace from Orthopets. The info and videos on their website are amazing. So, I am ordering a stifle (knee) brace for our dog tomorrow. My vet or I will make a cast so the brace fits perfectly. I’ve been in touch with the owners themselves by email and they are very quick to get back to me and seem very caring. I cannot wait until Fargo can go for walks and go swimming again.”

Fargo has since been fitted for his Orthopets brace, and received it on 4/23. His owner has reported that he seems to be doing well with the brace, and the pictures below are of Fargo wearing the brace. I was unsure how the brace managed to stay up without being strapped to the dog in any way, but Fargo’s owner said that the brace stays up because of the velcro straps above the hock and around the knee – there are also auxillary straps on the thigh.

Dog Knee Brace from Orthopets is a post from: Dog Knee Injury

Surgery is not always an option for some animals.  There are risks from anesthesia, and allergies to which some dogs are particularly sensitive.  The financial burden of a surgical procedure can be great, and is not always an option for even the most caring owner.

What happens if my dog’s cranial cruciate tear is not repaired? Will my dog’s knee heal on its own?

A ruptured or torn CCL will decrease stability within the stifle (knee) joint. Your dog will begin to produce wear between the bones and meniscal cartilage, becoming abnormal, the joint will begin to develop degenerative changes. Eventually bone spurs known as osteophytes develop and chronic pain and loss of joint motion result. The osteophytes are evident as soon as 1 to 3 weeks after the rupture in some patients, with others showing no osteophyte development after years of living with the condition. The development of osteophytes, and degenerative changes in general, typically is related to the size of the dog, i.e. it is more difficult for a large breed dog to bear extra weight on an injured joint, whereas a lighter dog has an easier time with weight displacement.

It is normal for dogs, of all sized, to show signs of improvement within several weeks of the time of the acute injury. During this time the dog may appear to get better, but it is unlikely that your pet will become permanently normal. There was a study done on a group of dogs for 6 monts after cruciate rupture. At the end of 6 months, 85% of the dogs under 30 pounds had regained near normal or improved function, whereas only about 20% of dogs over 30 lbs had regained near normal funciton. Both groups of dogs required at least 4 months of exercise restriction and anti-inflammatory medication use, also known as conservative management, before maximum improvement was shown.

Remember, any degenerative changes, such as osteophyte development and arthritis, that have taken place after your dog’s CCL injury will not be healed by surgery. These changes are permanent, and while they can be arrested by surgery, they can not be reversed.

What Happens if a CCL Rupture is Not Repaired? is a post from: Dog Knee Injury

1. Weight management
2. Exercise moderation/rest
3. Using anti-inflammatory medications

Maintaining your dog’s body weight at normal, or slightly below normal, levels will reduce the load placed on the injured joint, and may help to improve its function. This will allow your canine to strengthen the joint without adding any additional strain, adding stability and range of motion. Restriction of activity for at least 6-8 weeks after injury is a key part of successful CM. After about 2 months of little to no exercise you may begin reintroducing your pet to weight-bearing activities such as short walks, making sure to avoid any extremes in activity. Controlled walks and exercise will help to maintain and strengthen muscle mass while avoiding re-injury; owners need to be careful to limit their dog’s play during this time as there is an elevated risk of injuring the other leg while the originally affected leg heals. The use of anti-inflammatory medications during this time will help to limit painful episodes and encourage healing.

Conservative Management in Cranial Cruciate Injuries is a post from: Dog Knee Injury