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 on it the next day, and for other dogs it could be 2-4 weeks before they feel comfortable bearing weight on the surgical leg. Keeping your dog still while in the house, and keeping leashed walking to a minimum (bathroom breaks only) is critical during the first few weeks home no matter what procedure you choose, and exercise/movement restriction is advised for the first 8 post operative weeks.
At 4 weeks post op, most veterinarians will instruct owners to begin introducing their dog back to walks, particularly walking uphill in an attempt to rebuild loss muscle mass. It is a good idea to start out by taking a few short walks every day, gradually working up to longer and less frequent walks. This will prevent strain on the knee joint, which can hinder the healing process. Post operative exercises need to be controlled, leashed walks, as any running, jumping, or roughhousing during the first 8 weeks can be detrimental to the stability of the knee and recovery process.
Upon his arrival home, your dog will need to take a number of medications for pain, inflammation, infection prevention, and possibly sedation. If your buddy is not a willing pill taker, it is a good idea to try to get them into the habit of taking a small snack such as a piece of cheese, peanut butter, or a hot dog slice after their meals. Each dog is different with regard to how long they need to be on a particular pain, inflammation, antibiotic, and sedation regimen, but usually the antibiotics are taken over 10 days, with the pain/inflammation/sedation used on an as needed basis.
As a general rule, just pay close attention to your dog and be sure to tailor their recovery to their particular needs. There is no such thing as having a post operative dog rest too long, but there is always the risk of damage to the repair if your dog tries to do too much, too soon. Tightrope CCL, like other traditional repair methods (lateral suture, extracapsular imbrication), is simply a way to stabilize the joint while scar tissue is being formed, it is not a replacement ligament.
I have a 80lb Chessie (1 year old) who torn both CCL’s. We had the Right repaired with the Tightrope Procedue 6 weeks ago. We will have his Left repaired in early summer. Let me just say that the recovery from the Tightrope procedure is long. 1 week post op, He could bear some weight on his leg. At 6 weeks, he still does not bear all of his weight on his leg. He is still on activity restriction, and minimal leash walking. He takes anti-inflammatorys daily, and high doses of Glucosamine and Condroitin. I also think he is depressed as he wants to do more than we will allow. His appetite has decreased and he is down 10 lbs. (went from 80 to 70lbs)
I am a little dissappointed, as I guess I was expecting more than I should.
If you email Dr. Cook, he will send you a list of the vet’s in your area that perform the surgery.
For those wondering about cost, it was approximately $2500.00 including pre-op and post -op xrays and blood work. Hope this information was helpful!
I have a 60 lb. lab/akita (5 years old). He had Tightrope surgery four weeks ago. He currently walks on the leg, but if trying to ambulate faster still does not use it. I am excited about the long term prognosis, as he uses it more and more each week. He is still on activity restriction (short walks – no jumping), but I try to gradually increase the amount of walking on inclines and light stairs to get him to use it more. Nothing too strenuous. Appetite is good, but I think he is a little depressed as he wants more activity, but can’t.
Our Lab/Newfie cross Thor is 12 days post-op and here is what we learned and experienced:
Night one: After he began coming out of the anastethic – he was in a great deal of pain despite the 75 mg Fentanyl pain patch on his back and the liquid Metacam we have on hand because we just discovered that he has arthritic bone spurs in his spine also….At 11:00 pm by telephone, the vet advised that we remove the bandage which seemed to help ease some pain but nobody slept that night. (It is a job ensuring the incision site is clean since spring thaw is here and the mud is splattering even for those few precious 3 legged steps we take out for a break).
Day One: We waited anxiously for the office to open so we could get proper medication for this suffering dog…He was not sent home with sedatives and both vets argued over the pain management doses….By 1:00 pm that afternoon after 2 doses of morphine – he “seemed to be” settling down finally (we removed the fentanyl patch thinking we would overdose him but probably should not have). At 1:30 pm all “heck” broke loose – his pain became uncontrollable and finally – 7 hours later we were bringing him back at 8:30 pm for an emergency visit….crying, hiccupping for air from all the crying, and in great distress….(I have to say at that point I was ready to stop torturing this beautiful animal forever…)
Night Two: The vet gave him a patch, more morphine, pencillin and a sedative – which he fought for over an hour as we tried to console/conjole him to sleep with the usual bedtime ritual in the pen at the vet’s office. We left him there finally resting for the very first time – on his own overnight without us or his very precious older “brother” Blackie.
Day Three: Early am – we went to see him before the vet arrived for the day – He had been resting and we sure did unsettle him for which we were feeling guilty until about 5 minutes later when we realized (and helped him ourselves) to go out for a very much needed potty break….Poor Love. The vet pretty much told us we spoiled him and sent us home!
Day 3 – 7: He does not eat (loses over 4 pounds) and rarely drinks on his own. We feed him by syringe – including mixing medications with cherry jello, soup broth & water.
Day 7: The leg has not looked swollen as such but in the hour and a half we were getting dinner ready – it puffed up like a balloon. We called the vet several times from 6 – 9 pm and were told to use a warm poultice to try to draw the fluid out. This did not work after 2 hours and I cannot tell you how anxious we were not knowing what the fluid was or why it had now collected….Finally, we convinced an unhappy vet to meet us at the office at 9 pm (I know my dog is spoiled but I also know when he is in distress and I am tired of being blown off when trying to convey the latter). Vet tried releasing a couple stitches and finally lanced the incision (the “spoiled” dog did not wince or whine) and over a quart of fluid flooded the floor. Immediately, the dog’s behaviour reverted back to his real personality
At home, he finally ate a few cookies by hand.
Day 8: We realize he will need a drain because the fluid is building again and not being released. We return in the morning for this…The vet now realizes this may have been a good thing to put in right after the surgery. The drain drives him crazy all day but we discover he is given great relief when we use the ice bag over it. (Whether it was itching or burning….able to get him to sleep in 2 hour shifts over night and use ice as needed)
Day 9: No longer driving him crazy unless it is draining…again we use ice or a cold cloth. The house is filled with clean fresh blankets in his favourite spots – I continue to do laundry – with an actual smile on my face because he is turning a corner and is finally eating out of our hands and relaxing into his old self….
Day 12: Fluid still draining, particularly after walking across house or out for potty break….Using ice/cloth less often but we have lots of fluid on blankets in morning. It is Sunday and we will have to wait till next week to find out why. In a perfect world he would be due to have the stitches out in a few days…Good news – he eats on his own finally and is yes, bossing the rest of us around
Bless you all. We were lucky that we could both be at home because it has taken 2 of us 24/7 care for over a week. Thor knows when he is nearing the vet’s office when he is laying in the back seat and he starts to whimper….I cry with him now. At this point – I thought our greatest challenge would be to keep a busy dog quiet….(I wish!) We have been back & forth to that office for 13 months because he was favouring that leg and had walking/movement difficulties related to excercise & weather….3 x-rays and countless visits, beginning when he was 1.5 yrs old to now! Have had enough dogs to know when one is not walking/moving properly or without pain. Less than 2 weeks before the final blow on the ligament – I forced them to xray his back finally revealing that he has bone spurs in the spine! Turns out the ligament was very likely also tearing all this past year – we were told he did not have even one thread left! Is Thor spoiled? Yep, you betcha – we all love him to death….BUT we know our dog and we know when there is a problem….Please, please, please insist that your vet listens to you. These guys cannot tell us what is going on and need you to advocate on their behalf. Good luck to all on your paths to recovery. Thank you for the terrific web site – I honestly could not have made it through this without the great information.
It would be nice if Lori (the last post) said what kind of operation her dog Thor had.
My 60 lb Pitt Bull mix had tightrope surgery in Mexico 2 1/2 weeks ago. She was putting weight on her leg the next day. Her original ACL tear was 1 year ago but I did not want to have the surgery that breaks her leg and costs $2,200. She is doing well and wants to run and of course I can’t let her. She has developed arthritis in her right hip, most likely because of her favoring her left leg for so long. I am waiting to see if this gets better once she is fully using her left leg. She is only 3 1/2. The vet said her knee was really bad and they had to clean out all the torn ACL tissue, so I am pleased with her progress. I think I will take her to a place that has a water treadmill to help her build muscle. Good luck to everyone.
update……My Chessie is now 8 weeks post op on his right leg….unfortunately for us, the repair has failed. The actual procedure did not, but the tunnels in his bone have gotten larger. Our vet seems to think this is due to him having to bear weight on it as his left ccl is torn as well.
We have kept him kenneled per our post op instructions and he has only been outside on a leash. We are now contemplating the TPLO for his left leg. Has anyone had similar problems?
Lori, my dog underwent Tightrope surgery in Sept. 08. Long story short, after battling seromas & infection for weeks, we found out in Jan. 09 that the bone tunnel had expanded & the metal button had collapsed into the bone tunnel. We had to have the fibertape removed. We cultured & found there was no infection in his knee joint, but the actual fibertape grew staph. The infection in the fibertape was causing the bone tunnel to expand. Please have your vet investigate this possibility.
I read your blog for a long time and must tell you that your articles always prove to be of a high value and quality for readers.
Hello all – my 6yr old yellow lab had CCL surgery 7 days ago today, and let me tell you – its has been nothing but great! He had the surgery on 4/5 and stayed over night at the VET and we picked him up at 2:45pm the next day. The vet we found is wonderful. The first day home he slept – since I think he was still kind of doped up and was also still wearing the fentanyl patch, which we took off the next day. Day 2 at home he started to eat and walk around the house a bit – he was in very little pain if any at all. Day 3 looked like all the swelling has disappeared and he is pretty much back to his daily routine going out to the bathroom and asking for his treats. Day 4 he is walking and looks to be putting more weight on his own. He will be on limited outside activity for the next 8 weeks and that means on a lease everyday. Days 5 thru today he is pretty back to normal. Also, I should have mentioned at the beginning that he had a full torn ACL and they put in a prosthetic one. I am not sure how that healing would fit just partial torn repairs, but Jackson seems to be on a road to a full recovery. If anyone has any question please email me. I have a great book on exercises that the surgeon gave me. Best of luck!
Gary
gklemyk@yahoo.com
We have an 8yr old pitt mix that needs CCL surgery on both legs. We have been given an estimate of $2500-$2800 per leg for the lateral suture method and a TPLO or TTA would be over $3000. We are wondering if there is anyone in NJ that performs the TR (Tightrope repair) method? We have a couple state of the art facilities in the area, but they do not perform this type of surgery. Any suggestions?
I had the CCL Tightrope repair done on my 5 year old lab, Ruby, the week of Christmas. We followed the recovery procedures to the T, but 6 months later we are second guessing the procedure. There is still movement in the joint that causes swelling even after just a simple walk around the block. I feel so bad for Ruby because of the choice we made. I should have went with the TPLO method the first round. Now she is scheduled for surgery again and will have to go through the whole rehab processs again. I would really think twice about the CCL method because, as I found out, it is not the fool proof procedure that it has been hyped up to be.
Buster is a 5 year old lab and has been sick most of the winter with an illness not related to his ACL. We had the Tightrope repair method done on 5-18-09. He is doing very well. He would like to rough house more, but we have been just walking him on a lease since the surgery. He was walking on it the same as the surgery as we took him home the same day. He weighs over 100 pounds so he needs to walk on his own. While on the lease he will try to run, but picks up the leg when he does that, otherwise he walks all over the place. We have let him do most any walking that he wants to do. Lately he has been going for longer walks than necessary, but that seems to be okay for him. If he gets tired, he either sits down or lays for a few minutes and then continues. We have to have him on a lease for a total of 12 weeks and no jumping, stairs or rough housing until after that. We have a long ways to go yet, so was hoping to hear more good stories here. Thanks for the info that you have all provided. Buster is an avid hunter – so we are hoping he will be able to do that this fall.
Hello. About a week ago my Bojangles came inside with a limp. I check his paw and realized it was his knee that was causing him pain. We took him to the vet 2 days later and found out that he needed knee surgery because the Doc said that he had a torn cruciate ligament. Well he went in today at 9am (he had the surgery) and he is back home. They said that his ligament was in fact not torn, but loose? And he had alot of cartilage buildup. Well we got him home and he slept for 3 hours, but when we let our other dog out to potty, he seemed to want to get up, but when he tried this he whined and scooted. I almost sobbed. So I then tried to pick him up and I also tried to like scoop a towel under him to support his hind end, but he wouldnt have it, he just whined and scooted in pain. So I gave him some pain meds and some food, but I am sad.
I want to hear from some one who has had a pet with knee surgery that acted this way. Tell me this is normal, tell me this only last a little while. I miss my spunky aussie. Help, I need support I am so sad.
Thanks
My dog is having the tightrope surgery on Friday morning performed by Dr. Wright in Springfield, Illinois. I have been nervous about his upcoming surgery and even a bit doubting my decision. I have read every article available online, had a consultation with Dr. Wright… an hour and half, now the day is near and I am scared. I know about all the options available and still can not decide which is really the best… Can anyone put my mind at ease?
CHristina,
How is bojangles doing??? You have to remember between the anesthesia and not understanding what is going on, it can be traumatic for some dogs. He was probably in pain. Some dogs have a low threshold for pain and get very whinning. My boxer has a high threshold for pain, so he seem to handle it ok. my boxer had the tta surgery three weeks ago. keep me posted. I am sure he doing much better now. Corie
My 7 year old Lab Mix had the tightrope surgery 2 weeks ago. He had his surgery in Fayetteville, NC by Dr. Garrett. I was extremely suprised and the Vet was pleasantly surprised that he is putting his full weight on that leg most times. This is the best he has felt since probably March. We still have to keep him on a leash for the next 4-6 weeks for the normal healing process and he wants to do more because he feels better. But we do what need to do to make him better and heal properly. This cost of this surgery was under $1K. I did pay extra for the xrays and blood work but that was not much. This was much better than the cost of the TPLO ($2400) that was quoted. I am very happy with the outcome and we have been told that the other leg will probably need to be done within the next 1-2 years. I will have the TR done again by the same Doctor.
Dianne-
Did your dog’s knee area feel thicker than the other knee after surgery? My dog Diesel had tightrope surgery on July 10th and has been doing great, he had his stitches removed and has been walking on it regularly. Just lately I have notice his knee area that had surgery done seems to feel bigger/thicker than his normal knee? I am a bit concerned because it also feels warm. I am putting in a call to the surgeon in the morning, but wanted to know if anyone noticed this in their dogs….
Our 5 yr old lab, Reagan, had tightrope surgery on his left leg in april 2009. He was in pain the first night but was ok after that. Put weight on it after a week and slowly after several weeks was able to go for walks- always on a leash. After 3 months, Reagan blew his other acl while walking on a leash. One week after a tightrope surgery on the right knee, Reagan is doing well. This surgey went even better than the first. He is putting weight on both legs and his tail is wagging. We need to keep him still for another 2 weeks then bring him in for therapy on a treadmill under water. I think he will be fine. Total cost for both knees and xrays was about $3500. Dr Betts in Mill Creek WA. He loves his patients.
My 60 lb Pit mix has had both legs done. the first was done in Mexico in March- not tightrope, but they used the tape and a bone screw above and tied below. It seemed tight when I got back and had my vet check it. she totally tore her other ccl and had tightrope surgery in Spokane, Wa. the vet said there is some movement in the left leg (the first surgery). She is now 9 weeks out on the 2nd surgery. this vet has them start on exercise soon after surgery. she has been going to water treadmill therapy since her sutures were out. I am also walking her on a leash and she wants to trot so I let her do it a little. I am going for a checkup with the surgeon next week to see when I can let her run freely. She is a young active dog so this has not been fun for her. I don’t know what to do if either surgery goes bad. I DO NOT WANT HER TO HAVE ANY MORE SURGERIES or go through any more long rehabs. I am told that these dogs will have arthritis so she may need meds for that. I feel for everyone and their dogs who go through all the pain and restrictions and expense and frustration if all doesn’t turn out great in the end.
My 8 yr old golden/shepherd mix, Maggie Mae McGee is scheduled for TPLO surgery in two days! I am feeling scared and wondering if this is the thing to do. She is an active (though now running on only three legs) 64lb. beauty. I just found out about the tightrope surgery. No told me about it! The cost for our surgery is high ($2800) and I am a senior who has been cut back to only five hours per week. Needless to say, I will do anything for my baby; she is the only family I have, but I want to do the best thing with as little discomfort as possible for her. Any thoughts anybody? I am SOOOO afraid for her!
Hi Janeva,
I guess your dog has had surgery by now. How is she doing? I guess I am lucky that my Greta’s 2nd surgery cost $1,400 with everything. The rehab is sooo long. Get Maggie lots of toys and Kong bones that you can stuff things in to keep her occupied. My vet recommends rehab start as soon as the sutures are removed. that is easier than doing nothing for 8 weeks. I hate to say this, but be prepared for her other leg to go bad as that seems to be very common.
Hi Kathleen, My 6yr old female hound mixed breed has a cruciate ligament tear in left hind leg. I’ve been doing a lot of research and speaking with many vets. and vet techs who know about the tightrope procedure. I live in Ct. it’s very expensive and not everyone here is that experienced with it. Where did your dog have the surgery and how is she doing now. thanks,
I live in CT and our 5 yr old Golden Retriever had TTA surgery doen by Dr. Jeff Berzon in West Hartford. he’s amazing, does 350 knees a year and teaches on TTA to other Vets. The TTA went well so far and we are going back nxt week for his first xray 6 weeks after the procedure. We thought about tightrobe (Tufts University does it and supposedly is the best in the area) but we decided against it as honestly i didn’t want to take any chances with him. (I felt the tightrope was too new and heard too many things that have gone wrong with it.) 6 weeks into the recovery and he hardly limps at all. Everything went great and we’re happy with the TTA.
Ok, my dog Greta is free to run again and things look good with her tightrope leg. she favors her other leg – the surgery done in Mexico – when she gets a little too much exercise, but I am pleased to let her out of the house on her own so she can do doggie things without being on a leash. Her $1,400 tightrope surgery was done in Spokane, Wa. on June 9th and has healed nicely.
My 7yr old male Pit Bull-65lbs is not doing well after three days post op.He had the steel plate and screws put into his rt knee after cleaning out torn ACL. Im so upset to see him so swollen-to his toes! He eats and now sleeps OK-but there is deff discomfort and I fear worse with this swelling? I will take him back to vet Saturday If its not down a little by then. There is deff a fear of complications since day two he jumped the gate keeping him in room where he was to be confined. He is in a big house with two other larger dogs and he does not like to be alone. We found him out of the room and up the stairs crying-couldn’t get down. I feel awful that I left him believing he was secured with the gate. Anyone have any comments on this swelling? He had the surgery Monday-Its now Thursday.
My dog is getting the surgery tommorow…Do any of you know if with the tight – rope procedure, Dogs usually walk normal afterwards? Wilson is an 80 pd,Olde english bulldogge
I cannot agree more with some of these responses. I went with the CCl for my lab, Beau, instead of the TPLO because he was 9 1/2 years old. We did everything to a T to make sure it worked. It didn’t. It’s been 5 months of heartbreak. There was a second surgery and then a third. Unfortunately, after $2800 I couldn’t afford to go elsewhere and having no experience with anything like this before, I felt I was at the mercy of this vet.
Judy & Buster,
I have a heavy 6 yr old lab who needs a knee surgery. I was very happy to read about your experience. Would you please share the location of the doctor where you went? I live in Northern California, but don’t mind transporting the dog at a reasonable distance.
Kathleen & Greta.
I have a 60 lb lab 5yr old Female lab that needs the CCL repaired in both knees and we live in the Puget Sound area of Wa. What vet did you go to in Spokane for your surgery and how is Gretta doing now? Hope every thing is happy.
my dog has a plate in his leg already due to a broken femur. can he not get Tightrope surgery? getting consult about options next week. but was all excited that maybe this would be a good option and now after reading more dont know if he is a canidate. please advise if anyone knows. thx
I have a very active boxer and am looking for someone with same who has done either the TTA or the tightrope and sometime has passed. I would love to hear from dog owners who have experienced this so I can try to figure out what is the best surgery for him down the line. All the stories are so helpful and sad. I feel for you all. I would just love to hear from someone who had the surgery like a year ago and see where there dog is at now. Thanks so much. I need to make a decision in the next week or so and need all the help I can get.
PLS READ IF CONSIDERING TIGHTROPE SURGERY…
I own a 115 lbs Rhodesian Ridgeback/Sheppard cross (Cody). In August 2008, we were at a leash free dog park and he was sideswiped while running by another dog. Cody yelped immediately and began limping later that day. I kept him inactive for a week or so and his leg did seem to get a little better but never healed. I took him to see a vet who referred me to a specialist in the area. The specialist examined him and told me he would need the ccl surgery. He advised me of three procedures including tightrope. I researched all the methods and thought that this new procedure seemed like Cody’s best chance at recovery due to his size and risk involved. In March 2009, Cody had tightrope surgery done. He was healing very well until week 10. I was walking him up and down hills in a park and he somehow twisted his knee. He immediately began limping again. I took him back to the specialist who told me he had stretched the band and his knee would not heal properly without re-tightening or re-doing the surgery. Of course, Cody was not even two years old, so I had the surgery done again. Both operations cost over $5000 combined. Cody was healing perfectly from the second operation. I was very strict with his movements and did not even start to take him for walks until after 12 weeks. Approximately 5 months after the surgery, Cody waked up and down several flights of stairs at my parents house. Later that night he showed signs of lameness again. I can’t say that this type of scenario would be true with all dogs, however I still want to make other people aware that this surgery may not be successful.
I have a 4 year old German Shepard with a partially torn knee ligament. Have been to Tufts and they recommended TPLO surgery. After reading up about it I’m not sure if this is the right way to go. Does anybody have experience with going for conservative treatment instead of surgery? Would love to hear from you!
My 80 + lb labradoodle injured her ACL from agility and frisbee. She had TPLO surgery 3 years ago. After surgery she had water therapy and acupuncture. The hydro therapy was a blessing. The important issue is to find a vet surgeon that is certified in TPLO surgery and has experience. Most of my research suggested the TPLO for dogs 50 + lbs. She has been competing in agility since 6 months after her surgery and is better than expected. The bad news-my new labradoodle,l just 16 mos has slipped on the ice and showing all of the signs. It is a traumatic surgery but worth it if you do your research. Good luck.
Our newly acquired 3yr shepherd/blacklab mix had Tightrope surgery 1/7/10. Our vet was extremely pleased with the placement, tightness and stability of the “device”. One concern was pain control after surgery due to reading the comments on this site. Our Dr was a strong proponent of keeping her over night so he could keep a large bandage on the knee, keep an IV in for hydration and constant pain control. Dr also said he is not impressed withthe use of the pain patches – not found to be very effective in vet. use- so i guess i would just question your vet prior to surgery about their pain control protocol. Posie did very wellover night (and we were able to get one good night’s sleep before being on night watch), and came home noon the next day. She had been walking with 3 legs for so long with the injury that total issolation of that leg was a smooth 3 legged gait from the get go. We did do a vigulent 24hr/7 watch with her – wanting her to be able to groom her feet, etc., we chose not to use our E-collar ( but had it in case her licking the wound site became too intense). She did very well, rested well with the pain and anti-inflamitory meds we were given, and her surgical site was clean and ooze free. There was some swelling and discoloration, which we iced the 1st couple of days for a few minutes am & pm. Her biggest discomfort was the cool air hitting her shaved quadrant-(from spine to middle belly on right lower half of body). Guess she’s kind of a wimp – doesn’t likethe cool or wet weather on her-fur is beginning to grow back 14 days post.
Sheis beginning to weight bear approx 50%,most of the time and doesn’t limp after being on a walk or out to potty at all the last few days. starting rehab today our rehab vet was very pleased with how much she can do, but we still need to keep her from running and jumping and quick turns/spinning for many weeks. All in all we are very pleased and so glad we didn’t choose more drastic surgery where realigning the Tibia is done. we hope she will be back to playing ball with her 2 cohorts and jumping into the pickup with hubby for running errands before summer.
I encourage others to have a good conversation with their vet, arthitis was already setting in the joint capsule which needed surgical intervention. 3yr old is a young dog to be in such a limited state and a life of pain not to try something. And yes, it is painful to the wallet – ours was $2200. Rehab willbe between $500 -$1000 depending on her progress and our vigilance in her home exercises and treatments (heat and ice, etc.)
we had our dog sadie’s tplo surgery done in october of 08 she now needs her other leg done we are interested in vets in our area that perform tightrope please help us find someone we live in kingsport tn the largest city is knoxville 90 miles away
thanks loree
My 2 year old yellow lab partially tore his ACL in August. I have spent countless hours researching the best options for Riley and finally decided on stem cell therapy combined with physical therapy. He had his own stem cells harvested from his abdominal area in November and had them injected into his stifle. It was a relatively easy surgery, much like when he was neutered in terms of pain and recovery. He began hydrotread in January and his therapist is extremely pleased with his progress. The best part of all of this is that he can be reinjected if need be. Stem cell therapy can not be used for complete tears of ACL’s, the dog’s joint has to be examined and has to be stable. However if your dog is suffering from hip dysplasia stem cell therapy may be an option for your best friend. I love my dog with all of my heart and knew deep down that he would not tolerate being confined for 6 weeks post op, also I am a RN and work long hours so it would be difficult to coordinate all of his post op care. I am also not completely convinced that surgery is the only way to go….especially after reading some of the horror stories on here not to mention some of the stories my friends at work have told me.
So far I am pleased with Rileys progress. If anyone wants more info on stem cell therapy you can google vet-stem, they even have a list of vets that are certified of their website. Good luck to everyone and your dogs. ACL tears are not fun!!!! PS cost of stem cell therapy is same as TPLO so not cheap but essentially zero complication rate as it is your dogs own cells….very cool science, hopefully will be available for humans soon too!!!
My 8 yr old yellow lab retriever “Prince” is my very best friend. When he was 6 yrs old he had TPLO surgery on his right leg. It was a lengthy and difficult rehab, and he did get a bone infection, but it is the best solution for an active dog. Christmas 2009 his left leg failed, full tear occurred. Because of his age, and how difficult the TPLO was on him, I went with the CCL surgery. I have followed rehab to a T, and now it is week 7 and his repair has failed. I don’t know what to do. Vet has him on some kind of cortisone shots and thinks maybe his meniscus is further torn. I am highly considering taking him for TPLO with original surgeon but am not sure his body can take another major surgery. This has aged him. I have spent about $7000 on surgeries for him (we are in Canada). Cost is no issue, but I want to do what is right for my Prince. He is now suffering again and my heart is breaking. Has anyone experienced a failed CCL and gone for TPLO to fix it? I would love to hear from another dog owner with similar circumstances.
Does anyone have a list of vets in Mexico that perform the tightrope surgery. Even better a referral or two would be nice.
Has anyone had any experience with Veterinary Orthopedic Sports Medicine Group (VOSM) in Savage, Maryland? We are in Northern Virginia and that seems to be the closest and best option. I am thinking of Tightrope surgery for our 4 1/2 year old very active Border Collie/Boxer mix. Sounds as if the recovery is going to be a challenge! Thank you.
My 3 year old Newfoundland had the Tightrope procedure two days ago (March 23, 2010) to repair her right knee. She was toe-touching when I picked her up at the vet the morning after her surgery, and now she is weight-bearing as long as I make her walk slow. If she had her way, she’d be running around holding her right leg off of the ground. But since she had her left knee repaired a year and a half ago, we’re having to take it very slow so that she doesn’t overtax that leg. She doesn’t seem to be in much pain, but is clearly (and understandably) uncomfortable. The rehabilitation exercises that I have been instructed to do are going well, and I already have noticed an increased range of motion between day one and day two out from surgery. Next week will be the first of five sessions with the physical therapist at her vet clinic, including laser therapy, to make sure she is healing without re-injuring her other knee. It’s only a few days out from surgery, but if her recovery stays on pace, she should be ready to go in time for summer.
My 6 year old German Shepherd Angel had the tightrope surgery this past fall. Dr. Cook did the surgery here in Illinois. I will tell anyone that is considering it, be mentally prepared. The recovery process is long and difficult. Just a few days ago, she injured her other leg. I think she fully tore and now will require another tightrope procedure. I have an appoint in a week (hopefully sooner if they can fit us in) to check it out and see if she did tear it.
A few tips for everyone.
Ice is your friend. It will help with the swelling and the pain. For the first week we were icing on and off all day. It soothed her and definitely helped swelling go down faster.
First couple nights – She didn’t get up to pee as she was in too much pain. We ended up changing out the sheets under her at least 10 times as she would just urinate in her bed. She also oozed out some feces so we would use baby wipes to clean her up. I suggest in these cases, you either put a plastic cover over your dog bed with sheets or blankets on top, or put a layer of plastic in between you piles of blankets. You will be doing a lot of laundry the first week. And check to see if they pee themselves the first couple days. They are so drugged up that we never knew. Don’t use a super thick bed that makes it difficult to step up.
***IMPORTANT TIP*** Get a sling! It’s a padded piece of material connected to two handles. A good one is padded or has fabric so you don’t irritate their skin as much. Every time your pooch want to get up, you support their weight. We used the sling for almost 3 weeks. It allows her back side legs to be supported. You’ll gauge how much help your pooch needs. Either a full support where you are practically carrying they back end, or light support to just assist in stumbles. The first 2 weeks Angel needed full support in order to squat to pee and poo. If your vet does not have a sling, buy one BEFORE the surgery. This will be a lifesaver especially for big dogs.
Pooing – Angel did not poop for 5 days after her surgery. 3 visits to the emergency vet and place where she had her surgery later…. she finally went. We were concerned she was going to have some kind of toxic poisoning. Be patient with the pooping. Of course if you suspect your dog has to go but can not, take them to the vet. In 10 days after her surgery, she was brought to emergency vet at least 3 times, and her surgery vet twice. We were very concerned.
Pain management – They will be in pain and if you have a vocal dog like Angel (Shepherds usually are) it will break your heart. The screaming. The yelping. I cried with her every time. Initially you’ll have pills pills and more pills. For angel, it was not enough. 3 days in, and one of the trips to the emergency vet, we finally were told to get her a pain patch. It was our savior and she had it replaced out 2 times after that. She was in a lot of pain and we could not sooth her.
Trust your gut – If something seems out of the ordinary, call the vet or take them there. Most areas have emergency vets for off hours. Make sure you have copies of all the records from the surgical vet, so if come 3 am in the morning you have to take them to an emergency center, you can bring the records and it will help them determine all that has been done so far.
Keep Logs – We had at one point, 4 different meds rotating. KEEP A LOG. Keep a log of what pill was given at what time. Keep a log of when they pee. When they poo. When they eat How long they screamed for. Anything and everything you can think of. If there is an issue during recovery, you won’t have to guess what time was their last pain med, or if you remembered to give the antibiotic. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP!
You will need help. My sisters and I (3 of us) were on round the clock care for 2 weeks. TWO FULL WEEKS! We slept in the same room as her, she was never left alone. If she had to pee at 2 AM, she whined and we were there to hear it. If she was thirsty she whined and we had to put a bowl under her with a towel to catch the drool. If you have a big dog like we do (100 lbs) you just can not do this alone. I took off work 1.5 full weeks. And my sisters didn’t work so they were there 24/7. This surgery is not one that allows you to leave your pooches home alone to hobble around. One wrong step and that’s it. Your $3000 is wasted cause you didn’t plan out proper care.
Staples – Make sure you check your dog that all staples are removed. I’ve read about cases were once was missed because the hair was covering it. Know how many staples your dog has. Know how many were pulled out. You’ll have plenty of time to count them.
Time – The only thing that will help them is time. It will take a long time for them to act like themselves. But they will. Be aware. Infections are a real possibility. Complications are a real possibility. Keep a watchful eye on their behavior. If they are doing great, and then come week 3 their appetite is low and they aren’t acting like themselves, you bring them back to the vet.
I feel for all of you who are true dog lovers. To watch you dog go through this process is heart breaking. I think I lost years of my life due to the stress of watching her suffer. I’ll have to reread my own post in the near future if Angel requires surgery on the other leg. Good luck to you all. You can get through it. Remember that in the end, you have to do what’s best for the dog.
Our lab had two tightrope procedures performed by Dr. Robert Cook out of St. Charles IL. The first one in June of 2009 seemed to go well. We kept him confined on a full size mattress surrounded by a portable pet fence except when he needed to go to the bathroom. We used a full rear sling (http://handicappedpets.com/www/index.php/cartcompatible.html) so that he didn’t put any weight on his rear legs when he went out to go to the bathroom. After 12 weeks he began to gradually use his leg again and we felt the surgery was a success. Not long after this he tore the CCL in his other rear leg and had a second tightrope performed in late September of 2009. This time the surgery didn’t seem to go so well. The pain and recovery process was pretty unpleasant the first time around, but the second time was much worse. He seemed to be in shock when we picked him up after the second operation (he was shivering uncontrollably) and he refused to even stand up at all. After carrying him inside we started the recovery process again. He didn’t poop for about 5 days but of more concern was that he had stopped drinking water and the knee joint area began to develop a hematoma mouse. This hadn’t occurred the first time around. The vet said that it was probably a nicked capillary, but it seemed like a lot of diffused blood for just a capillary to me. We applied ice and gentle pressure and got the bleeding to eventually stop. Saw the vet for a followup in October at which time he examined the dog and felt that things were progressing as expected. We continued immobilization & recovery all the way to March (because of the long icy winter here). We started to let him try and use his rear legs (while in the safety of the harness) at that time but it’s now April and he hobbles horribly. The leg corresponding to the second surgery shakes significantly when he puts weight on it but we thought that was just due to muscle atrophy and would get better over time as he exercised more. It didn’t and even more disconcerting is that it makes a creaking sound when he walks on it. It’s not a clicking injured meniscus like sound, but more a weird creaking sound like a rusty shock absorber on a car! We’re taking him in to see the surgeon this Friday. I’ll post his diagnosis after he examines our dog.
Hi Paul F,
I am curious as to how much you paid for the TTA surgery in Connecticut and if you are still happy with the results? My 85 lb. lab mix has a torn ACL and I am so distressed about picking the right surgery for her. Any help is much appreciated!
Steven, I am curious about your situation. My Labrador who is only 4 years old (71 pounds) is going through the same thing. She has had 5 CCL surgeries in the past 2 years and the most recent one that was performed – TR procedure. 3 on one knee and 2 on the other. She was doing great post-op 90 days. Now for the past week, she began limping again, this time worse. After this surgery (TR), it was very hard for her to walk too. I think this was due to having so many CCL repairs on the other leg and wasn’t use to using the leg to walk using all her body weight. The Doctor doesn’t think it’s a torn mensicous because the clicking sounds isn’t constant. I have heard it a couple of times, but not freq. He did remove most of the mensicous. The Doctor said her knee is stable, but she is still limping. We sedated her to palpate the knee and it was stable. She is currently taking previcox, cosequin, and tramadol. So if any of you are reading this and having the same issues with your dog, please email me at justgilmore@gmail.com. I would love to hear what you guys are doing and how you’re dealing with this.
My 185lb Mastiff underwent the Tightrope procedure 5 days ago and so far I’ve been very surprised by it. He was weight bearing on it the next morning when we picked him up from surgery and has been weight bearing since with no sign of pain, so he’s just on anti-inflammatories and anti-biotics. Swelling has almost gone now.
We’ve got him confined in a pen with toilet breaks in the garden when he asks (he’s vocal about asking!) and we have to work to keep him from breaking into a trot. He does hobble a bit on it and is more ‘careful’ than usual sitting down, but so far so good.
We opted for Tightrope rather than TPLO as I didn’t like the intrusive nature of the latter and the possibility that if things to wrong, they go very wrong!
We went to Cares 215-750-2774 to have the tightrope surgery. We are in week one of recovery. pain is controlled by the medication. She is able to place small amounts of weight on the leg. We have her crated in our living room. She can see us and my husband sleeps next to her so she is not too lonely.
Hi!
My dog just had the tightrope surgey two days ago. We brought him home yesterday and he has been crying loudly non stop. I feel so horrible and don’t know what to do. I called the vet and he said “Parker was working it for attention”.
We tried conservative management for 6 months, but it just wasn’t working. I hope I made the right choice. TPLO just seemed like too much for him. But I wasn’t expecting him to be in this much pain. It is gut wrenching.
I am little worried about all the posts where the surgery failed after a few months. We live in a really mountainous area with lots of snow, not easy walking.
Parker is 9 and loves to backpack. I am hoping we can backpack again.