The Day and Night of Surgery I dropped Beau off at the vet’s at 7:30 am and went on to work, warning all my co-workers to expect a basket case in the office that day. By 8:30, I had a call from the vet’s office. I started panicking, but it turned out that they just…
Tag: veterinary surgery
Our Dog Beau and His CCL Injury
Our Dog Beau Our dog Beau is a seven year old Golden Retriever and master of the household! He’s friendly, fun, energetic and spoiled! Unfortunately, we learned early in his first year that he also has hip dysplasia. Until now, this has not stopped him from having an active, doggy life. However, in late November…
CCL Injury in Both Back Legs
It is not unusual for dogs who have a cranial cruciate ligament rupture in one leg to develop one in the other leg. It is a little unusual to have two severe ruptures at the same time, but it does occur, especially in large breed dogs or overweight canines. Generally the signs of this type…
Does My Dog Need a Meniscus?
When there is a joint injury like a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture, it is important for the vet to try to preserve the menisci to the greatest extent possible. Loss of all or part of a stifle’s meniscus has the potential to accelerate the breakdown of articular cartilage with resultant DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease)….
Questions to Ask Your Vet Prior to CCL Surgery
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 vs. TTA for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair
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…
TTA Repair Postop Recovery
One of the benefits of the newest of the cranial cruciate repair surgeries, the TTA, is the length of time required before your dog can return to exercise and a life without restrictions. Because the ostoeotomy (cutting of the bone) in the tibial tuberosity advancement procedure is done in a non weight bearing area of…
TTA Repair Complications
For both humans and animals alike, any surgical procedure carries a risk of complications. You dog should have a full evaluation done, complete with blood work and other baseline testing, prior to surgery to help minimize any risks. Pre-surgical testing can often diminish the risk of death from anesthesia and other preventable complications related to…
TTA Surgical Procedure
TTA is the abbreviation for tibial tuberosity advancement. The TTA is among the newer techniques for cranial cruciate ligament repair of the canine stifle, making its appearance roughly 10 years ago. The TTA technique was developed in 2002 at the University of Zurich, and, biomechanically speaking, the procedure is very similar to the TPLO, without…
Extracapsular CCL Repair Complications
For both humans and animals alike, any surgical procedure carries a risk of complications. You dog should have a full evaluation done, complete with blood work and other baseline testing, prior to surgery to help minimize any risks. Pre-surgical testing can often diminish the risk of death from anesthesia and other preventable complications related to…