At 6 months post op, Tucker is finally free from all of the restrictions that were put in place over the past year surrounding his surgery. He can now race around the backyard like a madman as he pleases, and engage in battles with his doggy brother. The condition of his leg is exactly the same as it was at his 3 month checkup (which you can read about here – 3 Months Post Op CCL Repair), with one exception – he does limp on occasion after long walks or particularly vigorous play sessions; the reaction of the knee to cold temperatures is still yet to be determined.
Despite the infrequent limping, Tucker seems to have recovered well from the surgery. There are no lasting effects from any of the sedatives or anesthesia, the bacterial infection he developed post operatively on his skin has cleared up, and he does not appear to suffer from any emotional scars related to the time he spent in the veterinarian’s office in the time surrounding his surgery.
In the future arthritis is something I am concerned with, as well as the stability of his other knee. At 6 months out the other knee is holding up just fine, and there are no indications that he will have any issues with it in the future.