TTA stands for Tibial Tuberosity Advancement – which is just a medical term for the way the dog’s knee joint is manipulated to provide stability without the use of a functional Cranial Cruciate Ligament (or CCL).
Read More: Is TTA “Right” For My Dog?
The TTA surgery changes the angle of the bones within the dog’s knee joint, specifically the shape of the tibia. In order to perform the procedure, the veterinary surgeon will need to make an incision along your dog’s knee joint of about 4 to 6 inches to access the damaged ligament (and also possibly meniscus).
In a TTA, the tibia is cut and moved forward to create stability. The new position of the bone is held into place with a bone plate (which can be removed after healing – although not commonly done because of the need for another surgical procedure to remove the metal plate).
You can typically expect your dog to start bearing light weight on the leg within the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. At 2 weeks post-op your dog will need to have their stitches removed, and they should be bearing some weight on the leg consistently at this point.
There will be rechecks along the way at weekly intervals as directed by your veterinarian. Between 6 to 8 weeks the bone itself should have completely healed – and this will be visible on xray of the joint. In total, the healing process will take 8 to 12 weeks depending on your pet.
Read More: TTA Post Op Recovery
The cost of TTA surgery varies, you can generally expect to spend $2800-4000+ (and more if your dog needs a repair on BOTH legs at the same time).
Factors that influence the cost of TTA include:
Size of Your Dog – Smaller dogs require less; many of the medications, supplies and even the metal used to hold the joint together are calculated based on weight
Geographic Location – Veterinary hospitals and clinics within major cities tend to be more expensive than smaller veterinary offices
Type of Veterinary Facility – Veterinary universities and smaller clinics typically charge less than orthopedic specialty clinics
What is Included – Are you paying ONLY for the surgery, or are post-operative x-rays, visits and medications included?
Read More: TTA Surgery Cost
The TPLO surgery is often compared to the TTA surgery due to that fact that they both create stability within the joint by manipulating the angle of the bone by surgically altering the tibia bone…
Read More: TTA vs. TPLO Surgery
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