Symptoms | Dog Knee and Leg Injuries, Cruciate Ligament Surgery, CCL Injury Diagnosis

Aug 22nd, 2010

ACL or CCL Injury in Dogs?

Is it an ACL or a CCL when referring to the dog knee? First, we need to take a look at the anatomy of a canine knee joint. The way the stifle (or knee) in a dog is situated, there is a major ligament located on the anterior of the knee that plays the role [...]

Jun 27th, 2010

CCL Repair Forum for Dogs

Have a question related to TPLO surgery, or want a recommendation for a veterinarian performing the Tightrope procedure in your area? Want to know what the best dog knee brace available is? Don’t be shy… Post on our NEW Dog Knee Injury Forum! In response to the high volume of comments a lot of the [...]

Mar 15th, 2010

TTA Dog Knee Surgery, Timber’s Story

Timber’s TTA Surgery Timber is a 6 year old female shepard mix; she is my baby. In August 2006, Timber tore her left ACL and she underwent TPLO. She recovered beautifully from TPLO surgery. Nearly 4 years later, she developed an abscess over her TPLO scar. I took Tim to my local vet, and she [...]

Jun 17th, 2008

What Causes the CCL to Rupture?

In dogs, the cruciate ligament tends to undergo degenerative changes that weaken it prior to rupturing. This very different from ACL injuries in people, where rupture is often associated with a traumatic injury as a result of an accident or incident while taking part in activities like skiing or playing football. While the human ACL [...]

Jun 5th, 2008

Are CCL Injuries More Common in Certain Dog Breeds?

Cranial cruciate ligament tears and ruptures can happen to any dog (or cat, although it is not nearly as common), but there are certain risk factors that make particular breeds of dogs more susceptible to this type of damage. CCL injuries are one of the most common orthopedic injuries in dogs, and is the most [...]

Apr 21st, 2008

Drawer Sign Test and Tibial Compression Exam

If it is suspected that your dog has a cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture, your veterinarian will perform a physical exam to determine whether or not this type of injury can be ruled out. This test involves manual manipulation of the knee joint and is referred to as the drawer test. Most dogs do [...]

Apr 19th, 2008

Cranial Cruciate (Knee) Injury Symptoms in Dogs

No two dogs are alike when it comes to knee injuries. Some dogs will display many of the knee injury symptoms listed below, while others will only have intermittent lameness. Lameness in canines can have many causes, some of which are not directly leg related, and it is important for your dog to be evaluated [...]