QLF (Quadri-Lateral Fabella) surgery is a relatively new surgical procedure that is used to treat cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears in dogs. The procedure was developed in the early 2000s by Dr. Thomas J. Murtha, III., a veterinarian and surgeon at the North Andover Haverhill Animal Hospital in Massachusetts. Prior to the development of QLF surgery,…
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…
Injuries to the back hind knees of dogs is the leading cause of injury to canines. As a result substantial research has gone into figuring out the best way to prevent this specific injury, and how to repair it. While there are several surgical and nonsurgical options to help heal your dog, the emerging surgery…
Before investing in knee surgery for your dog, it would be wise to look at the statistical information surrounding the success rates of each specific type of surgery. Hind knee tears in dogs is the leading cause of lameness and pain for domesticated canines, and according to NIH, there is no absolute gold standard to…
The size of the dog who has injured their ACL is relevant in both the success of the surgery and overall recovery. When it comes to tearing cranial cruciate ligament, smaller dogs are at an absolute advantage over their larger counterparts in all areas. Studies suggest that not only is surgery more successful in smaller…
Tears and strains to the cruciate ligament in a dog (the human ACL), is the most common injury among canines, but how can you tell if your dog needs surgery for this, or if it is an injury that will heal on its own? As is true with so many things in life, this all…
Dog knee surgery is both a financial investment as well as a time and energy commitment. With so much on the line for both dog and owner the hope is that surgery is successful. Statistically, the odds are in favor of those who commit to dog knee surgery with a reported success rate of 85%-95%…
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…
Ruptured, torn, or partially torn ACL’s in dogs are so common that it is not surprising new technologies continue to develop to treat these injuries. QLF or MLFS surgery is a progressive operation that is much less common than its counterparts, but may be just the answer you and your dog are looking for. QLF…
On Saturday our seven year old Duck Tolling Retriever had an accident where she fell through some deck boards and was hanging off the edge of the deck for a few seconds while we tried to get her out. This resulted in a complete tear of her cruciate ligament (ACL). Our vet said that our…