Molly blew out her left knee last year jumping up to bark at E.T. on the TV. She was in obvious, immediate, excruciating pain shown by the terrible howling for the first several seconds. We got her right in and had TPLO done within a few days. Over the last year she has returned to…
After stumbling upon this website about a year ago, I thought it’d be good to share my own experiences with my dog and conservative management. Taking it back a bit, it all started in February 2016. I have a pretty active 8 year old (7 yo at the time) 85 lb chocolate labrador named Finn….
Diesel, Conservative Management, after a trip to the vet because my dog had his left hind up for three days straight (and had briefly pulled it up in the air a few times the week before) my vet, in his small consulting room, saw my dog take a few steps (leg down) and said,” Cruciate…
Molly is a 6 year old Golden Retriever. Today marks 8 days post-op, and Molly is doing well. She had surgery 2 days following the CCL tear. It was helpful that she had surgery on the day we left for Christmas vacation (we felt very guilty) because Molly had access to the Animal Hospital’s professional…
There are a number of causes of CCL injuries in dogs including breed, age, activity, and physical health, though the exact reasons as to why it is so common is not yet completely understood. Continual wear and tear (repetitive micro-injury to the cranial cruciate ligament) for dogs of any breed can cause the CCL to…
Four weeks ago my 6-year-old Greater Swiss Mountain Betty, who is very active and very healthy, tore her cruciate ligament and began limping. We love our dog very much and of course took her to a vet who did x-rays and an exam and recommended a surgical hospital that had board certified surgeons who taught…
The following is a story from an owner that was derived from an email exchange: My 11-year-old miniature poodle has an ACL injury to her rear left leg from chasing a squirrel. Her vet said I should take her to an orthopedic specialist for his opinion. He felt, however, that at her age this might…
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine which involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body. This technique has been used in China for thousands of years to treat a variety of illnesses and is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The original theories of TCM assert that needling certain points…
My beagle, Bridget, ruptured her cruciate ligament (with partial meniscus tear) in April, 2015, and we chose the Traditional Repair for a couple of reasons: Bridget is an older dog (rescued her over 10 years ago when she was already an adult), and she also has arthritis. Because of her age, I wanted the least…
Swelling, discomfort, and bruising is normal following CCL repair surgery. Hot and cold compresses are some of the best at-home remedies to help your dog heal and stay comfortable during the recovery process. Not sure whether to be using hot or cold? See our tips below for general uses, but be sure to talk to…