Comments on: Tightrope CCL Surgery Recovery http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/ A Help Resource and Support Guide for Dog Owners Mon, 21 May 2012 14:08:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Marc http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-95963 Marc Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:06:28 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-95963 Thanks Sara, He's told me that with the tightrope and Zieke's size (85lb black lab) we are looking at a 94% chance of getting back to his pre-injury days. Dr. Puerto has done almost 100 of these surgeries so he has experience and I do trust him. But I have yet to see someone post they spent that much on this type of surgery. Zieke will be in post-op care for 2 days and this includes his medication and follow-ups. TPLO was quoted at almost $5,400 per leg! I live in Yardley, PA so I can imagine that the cost would be more up here, but not double. As far as I know, there are only two that my regular vet recommends in the area and both are about that price. It's a hard pill to swallow knowing I'm going to be out $10k after already spending $1,500 on eye surgery when he was a puppy and he's not even 5 yet. Glad to hear of your success though, the hope he has a happy life is the only reason I would spend this kind of money. Marc Thanks Sara,

He’s told me that with the tightrope and Zieke’s size (85lb black lab) we are looking at a 94% chance of getting back to his pre-injury days. Dr. Puerto has done almost 100 of these surgeries so he has experience and I do trust him. But I have yet to see someone post they spent that much on this type of surgery. Zieke will be in post-op care for 2 days and this includes his medication and follow-ups. TPLO was quoted at almost $5,400 per leg!

I live in Yardley, PA so I can imagine that the cost would be more up here, but not double. As far as I know, there are only two that my regular vet recommends in the area and both are about that price.

It’s a hard pill to swallow knowing I’m going to be out $10k after already spending $1,500 on eye surgery when he was a puppy and he’s not even 5 yet. Glad to hear of your success though, the hope he has a happy life is the only reason I would spend this kind of money.

Marc

]]> By: Sara http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-95962 Sara Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:55:44 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-95962 Marc, I'm not sure where you live, but I live in NC. My dog torn her ACL & went undiagnosed for a few months. We finally figured out what was wrong & I met with several surgeons. We decided on tight-rope surgery, because we didn't want her actual bones to be cut. The surgery PLUS 4-weeks of boarding at the vet (we live on the top floor apt. building and could not carry her down the stairs - she's a 50pound Doberman), was only $1,800. She had surgery in early October & we have kept her quite. Her recovery was amazing. (I give A LOT of credit to having her boarded at the vet office for a month. They gave her medicine & walked her 4 times a day. I think her getting expert after-care was the best decision we made.) She's about 95% back to the way she was. Every once and awhile she'll make a quick hop on her leg, but other than that, zero problems. I think $4,000 for one leg is outrageous and unconscionable on the vet’s behalf. Sara Marc,
I’m not sure where you live, but I live in NC. My dog torn her ACL & went undiagnosed for a few months. We finally figured out what was wrong & I met with several surgeons. We decided on tight-rope surgery, because we didn’t want her actual bones to be cut. The surgery PLUS 4-weeks of boarding at the vet (we live on the top floor apt. building and could not carry her down the stairs – she’s a 50pound Doberman), was only $1,800. She had surgery in early October & we have kept her quite. Her recovery was amazing. (I give A LOT of credit to having her boarded at the vet office for a month. They gave her medicine & walked her 4 times a day. I think her getting expert after-care was the best decision we made.) She’s about 95% back to the way she was. Every once and awhile she’ll make a quick hop on her leg, but other than that, zero problems. I think $4,000 for one leg is outrageous and unconscionable on the vet’s behalf.

Sara

]]> By: Marc http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-95949 Marc Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:16:15 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-95949 Hi Andrea, I'm looking at having the Tightrope procedure done by Dr. Puerto on Friday and was wondering how your post-op surgery went. I think my lab has now blown both CCL's and was wondering about a double CCL tightrope surgery. The surgery has been quoted at $4,000+ per leg, which seems a bit steep compared to what I've seen quoted on this board. Please reply back. Marc Hi Andrea,

I’m looking at having the Tightrope procedure done by Dr. Puerto on Friday and was wondering how your post-op surgery went. I think my lab has now blown both CCL’s and was wondering about a double CCL tightrope surgery. The surgery has been quoted at $4,000+ per leg, which seems a bit steep compared to what I’ve seen quoted on this board.

Please reply back.
Marc

]]> By: Ginger http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-93519 Ginger Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:11:08 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-93519 Our Ginger had tightrope sugery on Nov 8th 2011... she was doing great and we thought she was on the road to a full recovery. Then about week 12 she started to limp again. So back to the vet we went... they took an xray and manipulated the knee... the implant was in tact and the knee is stable... there is some swelling inside the knee joint itself... so back on the meds! Now its been about three weeks and she is still holding her leg up most of the time. She will put it down only when she is walking too slow to hop. She is also doing this little twitch thing with it when she squats. Anybody else expierence any of this? Our Ginger had tightrope sugery on Nov 8th 2011… she was doing great and we thought she was on the road to a full recovery. Then about week 12 she started to limp again. So back to the vet we went… they took an xray and manipulated the knee… the implant was in tact and the knee is stable… there is some swelling inside the knee joint itself… so back on the meds! Now its been about three weeks and she is still holding her leg up most of the time. She will put it down only when she is walking too slow to hop. She is also doing this little twitch thing with it when she squats. Anybody else expierence any of this?

]]> By: Desirae http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-92855 Desirae Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:39:14 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-92855 Piper is a one-year-old 70 lb Pit Bull. She is very active and loves to run and play. We have a huge backyard and three other dogs so she is always on the go. In November 2011 we notice Piper was limping on her hind right leg, we thought she may have sprained something, but as weeks passed and the limping didn't subside we knew something more serious was going on. She tore her CCL, I'm not sure exactly how, but I'm assuming it was all the roughhousing she did outside. We went to a local vet surgeon in Cedar Rapids and she recommened the TPLO surgery. The procedure was way too invasive, and I did not feel comfortable putting my dog through that much pain. I thought this vet was our only option, but I did a lot of looking around and calling all over the midwest to find a vet who would do the tightrope surgery on Piper for a lesser cost. My pet's health is very important to me, but I thought it was silly to pay upwards of $3000 dollars if there was a 40-60% chance of her other hind CCL tearing. I emailed doctor Cook, the inventor of the tightrope surgery. He gave me a very quick reply, within hours, of local veterinary surgeons who were qualified to complete a tightrope surgery. I called everywhere and it seemed that each place was just as expensive...and then I lucked out. Advanced Veterinary Care in Cedar Falls, Iowa was our savior. They offerred the surgery, pre and post op care, blood screens, xrays and medicine (pain relief and antibiotics) all for a combined cost of about $900. Additional laser treatment therapy, a total of 6 sessions, was also offered and recommended for an additional $300. I consulted my regular vet about the laser therapy and he advised me that the only real time it would provide relief is immediately after surgery and the day after, otherwise it's just an additional cost. I decided to forgo the laser therapy as we live about two hours away, I didn't want to make the trip three times a week if it wouldn't help out Piper. The staff were all very friendly and professional. We felt great, but sad, leaving Piper in their care. They advised us to go home and relax, and assured us the surgery would be over in approximately 7 hours including time to recover from anesthesia. We made our trip back up to Cedar Falls to pick Piper up. The doctor came out and told us it was one of the best surgerys she had ever performed. We were so relieved! Piper on the other hand was in a great deal of pain. The whole way home she cried and whined, the doctor told us this was common as she was still a little groggy from the anesthesia. The first night was the hardest. We both slept on the floor with Piper. She could not get comfortable at all and cried the entire night. We found that she favored sodium free chicken and beef broth (make sure it's salt free, as to not dehydrate your dog!) and canned dog food for the first couple days. Slowly we started mixing in her normal hard food. She found it very difficult to go to the bathroom for the first couple days, as she could not get herself situated and stable on the one leg. Don't worry, your dogs will get this down. After the first day things started progressing slowly for Piper, we continued to give her the antibiotics until they ran out and the pain pills, we slowly weened her off until we thought she no longer needed them. We are now 9 1/2 weeks post op and she is doing wonderfully. She started to use her leg almost 2 weeks after the surgery, just toe tapping, until about 4 weeks after she started putting more and more weight on the leg. She is now using her leg and regrowing the lost muscle mass. We are praying her other hind leg will hold out after all the weight it had to bear for a couple months! I would do the tightrope all over again if I had to. Piper is a one-year-old 70 lb Pit Bull. She is very active and loves to run and play. We have a huge backyard and three other dogs so she is always on the go. In November 2011 we notice Piper was limping on her hind right leg, we thought she may have sprained something, but as weeks passed and the limping didn’t subside we knew something more serious was going on. She tore her CCL, I’m not sure exactly how, but I’m assuming it was all the roughhousing she did outside. We went to a local vet surgeon in Cedar Rapids and she recommened the TPLO surgery. The procedure was way too invasive, and I did not feel comfortable putting my dog through that much pain. I thought this vet was our only option, but I did a lot of looking around and calling all over the midwest to find a vet who would do the tightrope surgery on Piper for a lesser cost. My pet’s health is very important to me, but I thought it was silly to pay upwards of $3000 dollars if there was a 40-60% chance of her other hind CCL tearing. I emailed doctor Cook, the inventor of the tightrope surgery. He gave me a very quick reply, within hours, of local veterinary surgeons who were qualified to complete a tightrope surgery. I called everywhere and it seemed that each place was just as expensive…and then I lucked out. Advanced Veterinary Care in Cedar Falls, Iowa was our savior. They offerred the surgery, pre and post op care, blood screens, xrays and medicine (pain relief and antibiotics) all for a combined cost of about $900. Additional laser treatment therapy, a total of 6 sessions, was also offered and recommended for an additional $300. I consulted my regular vet about the laser therapy and he advised me that the only real time it would provide relief is immediately after surgery and the day after, otherwise it’s just an additional cost. I decided to forgo the laser therapy as we live about two hours away, I didn’t want to make the trip three times a week if it wouldn’t help out Piper. The staff were all very friendly and professional. We felt great, but sad, leaving Piper in their care. They advised us to go home and relax, and assured us the surgery would be over in approximately 7 hours including time to recover from anesthesia. We made our trip back up to Cedar Falls to pick Piper up. The doctor came out and told us it was one of the best surgerys she had ever performed. We were so relieved! Piper on the other hand was in a great deal of pain. The whole way home she cried and whined, the doctor told us this was common as she was still a little groggy from the anesthesia. The first night was the hardest. We both slept on the floor with Piper. She could not get comfortable at all and cried the entire night. We found that she favored sodium free chicken and beef broth (make sure it’s salt free, as to not dehydrate your dog!) and canned dog food for the first couple days. Slowly we started mixing in her normal hard food. She found it very difficult to go to the bathroom for the first couple days, as she could not get herself situated and stable on the one leg. Don’t worry, your dogs will get this down. After the first day things started progressing slowly for Piper, we continued to give her the antibiotics until they ran out and the pain pills, we slowly weened her off until we thought she no longer needed them. We are now 9 1/2 weeks post op and she is doing wonderfully. She started to use her leg almost 2 weeks after the surgery, just toe tapping, until about 4 weeks after she started putting more and more weight on the leg. She is now using her leg and regrowing the lost muscle mass. We are praying her other hind leg will hold out after all the weight it had to bear for a couple months! I would do the tightrope all over again if I had to.

]]> By: Barbara http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-90624 Barbara Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:01:16 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-90624 Gary- Where did your dog have his surgery? I have female 70 lb yellow lab with a torn ccl. She will be 2 next week. Don't like the idea of TPLO - too invasive, but concerned about tightrope failure. Any help would be appreciated! Barbara Gary-
Where did your dog have his surgery? I have female 70 lb yellow lab with a torn ccl. She will be 2 next week. Don’t like the idea of TPLO – too invasive, but concerned about tightrope failure. Any help would be appreciated!
Barbara

]]> By: Chelsey Chouinard http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-82818 Chelsey Chouinard Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:06:55 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-82818 Our yellow lab Balou had surgery on his right knee for a torn cruciate on October 19th, 2011, at 2.5 years old. He is a large dog at 40.2 kg's, but very muscular, not alot of excess fat on him just a large build. He had the Tight Rope surgery and had been doing great. Went through all of his medication, wants to run and play but can't and has to be calmed down. We took him for swimming therapy for exercise and stretching which had helped alot. He tor his cruciate when he was a pup but the vet wanted to wait until he was full grown and see if there would be any improvement. He was bearing all weight on all 4's evenly, would use his right leg for support when out for a pee and muscle mass was improving. Today, January 2nd, 2012 while he was laying on the couch with us and I was massaging his leg I felt a lump in the front of his knee, feels like fluid and moves around. He still wants to play doesnt show any sign of main other then he is not bearing all his weight evenly today and when he walks his knee looks loose. the lump is quite large, when he stands you can definately tell that it is there. Did anyone have a similar issue? Our vet is closed today for the stat holiday, we called the emergency vet hospital and they said if he isn't showing pain or discomfort then to wait for our vet in the morning. He allows us to touch his leg and stretch it but it feels like a click when we bend his knee. If anyone can shed some light on this for me with any similar experience it would be great. He isn't acting different, but I am still very worried... He is more like a son to us then a dog. Our yellow lab Balou had surgery on his right knee for a torn cruciate on October 19th, 2011, at 2.5 years old. He is a large dog at 40.2 kg’s, but very muscular, not alot of excess fat on him just a large build. He had the Tight Rope surgery and had been doing great. Went through all of his medication, wants to run and play but can’t and has to be calmed down. We took him for swimming therapy for exercise and stretching which had helped alot. He tor his cruciate when he was a pup but the vet wanted to wait until he was full grown and see if there would be any improvement. He was bearing all weight on all 4′s evenly, would use his right leg for support when out for a pee and muscle mass was improving. Today, January 2nd, 2012 while he was laying on the couch with us and I was massaging his leg I felt a lump in the front of his knee, feels like fluid and moves around. He still wants to play doesnt show any sign of main other then he is not bearing all his weight evenly today and when he walks his knee looks loose. the lump is quite large, when he stands you can definately tell that it is there.

Did anyone have a similar issue? Our vet is closed today for the stat holiday, we called the emergency vet hospital and they said if he isn’t showing pain or discomfort then to wait for our vet in the morning. He allows us to touch his leg and stretch it but it feels like a click when we bend his knee.

If anyone can shed some light on this for me with any similar experience it would be great. He isn’t acting different, but I am still very worried… He is more like a son to us then a dog.

]]> By: Sara http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-57422 Sara Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:46:53 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-57422 Dianne, I'm schedule to have tightrope surgery with Dr. Garett next week for my 4.5 year old 6- pound dobie. How did the surgery turn out??? I would love to hear from a patient! Dianne,
I’m schedule to have tightrope surgery with Dr. Garett next week for my 4.5 year old 6- pound dobie. How did the surgery turn out??? I would love to hear from a patient!

]]> By: Kathleen & Greta http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-42256 Kathleen & Greta Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:54:33 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-42256 Have not been following this site but got a question thru email. My 60 lb Pit Mix had tightrope in Spokane. She is 2 years out and doing great. Even her first surgery done in Mexico which she later favored has healed. My vet said it could scar over and support her knee and I guess that happened cuz she uses it freely. As I said before, I went to water treadmill rehab as soon as her sutures were removed and kept her on a leash outside but never caged inside. Altho she is active she can also snooze and obeys when I tell her to lie down and be quiet. So just on a leash outside for about 10 - 12 weeks. I let her trot when the vet said ok. She is 2 years post surgery and she runs and plays like before surgery. If she goes on a long walk and overdoes running I think she gets a little sore as she seems reluctant to sit straight. Sitting straight was something she couldn't do easily for several months post surgery but now does fine. I only have her on glucosamine/chondroitan/msm. The vet that did the surgery is Dr Ryan Brown in Spokane. Not sure what it costs now but my total charges came to $1400. I am so sorry to hear all the horror stories that other people have. Don't know if I was just lucky or what. I was not told to restrict activity as much as many of you and Dr Brown thought it best to use the leg. That is what they tell people after knee surgery, so? Good luck to all. Have not been following this site but got a question thru email. My 60 lb Pit Mix had tightrope in Spokane. She is 2 years out and doing great. Even her first surgery done in Mexico which she later favored has healed. My vet said it could scar over and support her knee and I guess that happened cuz she uses it freely. As I said before, I went to water treadmill rehab as soon as her sutures were removed and kept her on a leash outside but never caged inside. Altho she is active she can also snooze and obeys when I tell her to lie down and be quiet. So just on a leash outside for about 10 – 12 weeks. I let her trot when the vet said ok. She is 2 years post surgery and she runs and plays like before surgery. If she goes on a long walk and overdoes running I think she gets a little sore as she seems reluctant to sit straight. Sitting straight was something she couldn’t do easily for several months post surgery but now does fine. I only have her on glucosamine/chondroitan/msm. The vet that did the surgery is Dr Ryan Brown in Spokane. Not sure what it costs now but my total charges came to $1400. I am so sorry to hear all the horror stories that other people have. Don’t know if I was just lucky or what. I was not told to restrict activity as much as many of you and Dr Brown thought it best to use the leg. That is what they tell people after knee surgery, so? Good luck to all.

]]> By: Michele http://dogkneeinjury.com/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-42251 Michele Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:10:10 +0000 http://dogkneeinjury.com/2009/tightrope-ccl-surgery-recovery/#comment-42251 I also live in Spokane, WA and would like to know the name of the vet you used for the tightrope procedure. Are you happy with your dog's recovery after all this time? Thanks for your help. I also live in Spokane, WA and would like to know the name of the vet you used for the tightrope procedure. Are you happy with your dog’s recovery after all this time? Thanks for your help.

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