When that ‘pop’ sound of a sudden CCL tear in a dog’s knee happens, it is pretty obvious to the owner that an injury has occurred. But what happens when a dog’s knee ligaments experience a slow decline into lameness? For most dogs who suffer from an ACL tear, it is actually more of a…
Invasive and expensive surgery options for torn CCLs in dogs may not be available or appealing to many dog owners. Luckily there are both older and emerging alternatives to surgery that are available to this demographic. If you are looking for alternative care for your dog’s torn ACL, then it will not take long to…
My 12-year-old (best estimate of his age) Bordie-Collie mix (and breed) injured his CCL on 5/11/21. He is about 50 lbs. I adopted him from the Humane Society 8 years ago. We were able to get in to see the vet within a few hours of his injury and a CCL tear was diagnosed based…
Most pet owners have a strong emotional bond to their animal, and it may surprise them that dog knee surgeries account for over 1.3 billion dollars a year in the US alone. So with such a strong fiscal record, is surgery always necessary for partial ACL tears in dogs? The advice surrounding the best treatment…
No one wants to face the situation of having their beloved dog in a position of needing ACL surgery, so ultimately prevention is the best medicine. What are some of the considerations every owner needs to know to prevent ACL injuries? Cranial Cruciate Ligament injuries in dogs (the human counterpart is ACL injuries), may set…
Hello everyone, On May 1, 2017 my 8-year-old Newfoundland was running around in the yard when I heard a yelp. I turned around and saw that she was on the ground and couldn’t get up. I helped her to get up on her feet but she could not walk on her injured right rear leg….
Another alternative therapy you may or may not have heard of is Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST). PST is a relatively new treatment for both humans and dogs, used to treat conditions like osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, elbow/hip dysplasia, non-union bone fractures, and, of course, tendon and ligament injuries. PST is similar to other alternative therapies…
What It Is Turmeric, an herb known for its bright orange color, has long been used in its native Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian countries as a staple for not only cooking and clothing dye, but also as medicine. For thousands of years, Chinese medicine, for example, has incorporated herbal remedies as part of its holistic…
There are many types of non-invasive physical therapy options for dogs recovering from CCL surgery. Massage is a gentle option that can help dogs of any size in their recovery process, and can continue to be beneficial on a regular basis long after they’ve healed. Even though it looks and feels like pampering (and can…
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…