Dec 22nd, 2009

Beau – One Day Post CCL Repair Surgery

Day After Surgery My husband and I modified our work schedules somewhat so that someone could be home with Beau at all times for the first week. Today was my turn. In the morning, I took the bandage off as instructed and was very happy to find that the vet technician had done a [...]

Beau’s Day and Night of CCL Surgery

Dec 22nd, 2009

Beau’s Day and Night of CCL Surgery

The Day and Night of Surgery I dropped Beau off at the vet’s at 7:30 am and went on to work, warning all my co-workers to expect a basket case in the office that day. By 8:30, I had a call from the vet’s office. I started panicking, but it turned out that they [...]

Preparing Beau for CCL Repair Surgery

Dec 22nd, 2009

Preparing Beau for CCL Repair Surgery

Preparations for Surgery To prevent further injury, we needed to keep Beau quiet. No running, no jumping and lots of rest. We were given Metacam for pain and Acepromozin as a sedative. It just about killed me to see my happy, active dog so sleepy – even though I knew it was for [...]

Dec 22nd, 2009

Our Dog Beau and His CCL Injury

Our Dog Beau Our dog Beau is a seven year old Golden Retriever and master of the household! He’s friendly, fun, energetic and spoiled! Unfortunately, we learned early in his first year that he also has hip dysplasia. Until now, this has not stopped him from having an active, doggy life. However, in [...]

What Does TightRope Surgery Cost?

Feb 9th, 2009

What Does TightRope Surgery Cost?

Prices for veterinary surgery vary greatly depending on where you are located no matter whether you choose TTA, TPLO, TR, or a lateral suture method.  The prices can also fluctuate due to the availability of a certain procedure, number of surgeons performing the surgery, and the size of your dog. A number of veterinary [...]

Is My Dog a Candidate for Tightrope Surgery?

Feb 5th, 2009

Is My Dog a Candidate for Tightrope Surgery?

The newest surgical technique to repair torn cranial cruciate ligaments in dogs is the tightrope procedure.  Tightrope CCL is an extracapsular technique which uses lateral suture stabilization in conjunction with a virtually indestructible material called FiberTape for knee joint stabilization.  The Fiber Tape is placed in the dog’s knee through a few small incisions, mostly [...]

Tightrope Surgery vs. Extracapsular or Traditional Repair

Feb 5th, 2009

Tightrope Surgery vs. Extracapsular or Traditional Repair

How is Tightrope CCL Different from Extracapsular Imbrication or Traditional Repair? The major difference between extracapsular imbrication/traditional repair methods and tightrope ccl is the way in which the knee joint is stabilized.  In a traditional CCL repair, a leader line (suture, or you can also think of this as a fishing line) is woven across the [...]

Tightrope CCL Surgery Recovery

Feb 4th, 2009

Tightrope CCL Surgery Recovery

The standard rehabilitation procedure for Tightrope repair is a bit different than TTA and TPLO, due to the less invasive nature of the procedure.  When dogs return home from Tightrope repair, owners are instructed to allow their dog to utilize the leg as they wish.  For some dogs this means they will start putting weight [...]

Tightrope CCL Procedure

Sep 9th, 2008

Tightrope CCL Procedure

The Tightrope CCL repair surgery is the newest surgical option available for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament injury.  Unlike in humans, canine CCL tears and damage generally takes place over a period of months or years, rather than being associated with a single traumatic event.  Because of the nature of these injuries, and their degenerative [...]

Ordering Pet Medication Online

Aug 18th, 2008

Ordering Pet Medication Online

One way I found to save some cash when Tucker had his CCL repair was to order his medication and other pre and post surgery needs (like Kong toys, bully sticks, and pet bedding) online.  I purchased his collar, glucosamine and chondrointin supplements, pet pads, and special treats using PetCareRx.  My veterinarian even ok-ed his [...]