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…
We arrived at our vet’s office bright and early, at 7:20 am, only to find that the office manager was running late and there was already someone waiting outside the door upon our arrival. We spent the next 20 minutes pacing around the premises, trying to convince Tucker that there was nothing out of the…
If you and your veterinarian have decided to take surgical approach – TTA, TPLO, TTO, traditional/extracapsular/lateral suture repair, Tightrope – to correcting your dog’s cranial cruciate ligament rupture, you will want to be prepared for what to do prior to your dog’s knee surgery. The following checklist will provide a general idea of talking points…
TPLO, or tibial plateau leveling osteotomy, and TTA, or tibial tuberosity advancement, are two very new and biomechanically similar surgical techniques. Both the TPLO and TTA create stability within the dog stifle by altering the angle of the knee and using implants to hold the knee in place while the joint heals in its new…
While it may carry an increased risk of complications, the recovery from TPLO surgery is often more rapid and complete. About half of all dogs undergoing the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy procedure will be able to walk on the injured limb within 24 hours of post operative recovery. Within 5 days post-op, most dogs will…
TPLO, also known as Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, is a surgical procedure in which the head of the tibia is surgically altered and plated to create a new joint angle. A new angle is created in the stifle to prevent the femur from sliding off of the tibia. This is a very invasive procedure, as…
For dogs diagnosed with cranial cruciate ligament tears or ruptures there are a number of non-surgical and surgical options available. Each dog is different, and your veterinarian will take into consideration your canine’s weight, size, overall health, severity of injury and the duration since onset when determining what treatment is best for your pet. Non-surgical…
In the summer of 2007 my, then 2 year old, American Bulldog began showing some signs of intermittent discomfort and lameness in his rear leg. We did not worry about it too much at first, as he is a crazy jumping bean of a dog that likes to play rough and run wild in the…