{"id":5598,"date":"2022-03-29T13:06:35","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T21:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dogkneeinjury.com\/?p=5334"},"modified":"2022-06-06T14:12:46","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T22:12:46","slug":"long-term-acl-tearing-in-dogs-catch-the-injury-early-for-best-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dogkneeinjury.com\/long-term-acl-tearing-in-dogs-catch-the-injury-early-for-best-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Long Term ACL Tearing In Dogs: Catch The Injury Early For Best Results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When that \u2018pop\u2019 sound of a sudden CCL tear in a dog\u2019s knee happens, it is pretty obvious to the owner that an injury has occurred. But what happens when a dog\u2019s knee ligaments experience a slow decline into lameness?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For most dogs who suffer from an ACL tear, it is actually more of a tearing that occurs over a period of time rather than a one time trauma. In fact, if your dog\u2019s knee ruptures suddenly while playing at the dog park or on a run, you are much more likely to tend to the injury. For many dogs, day after day they experience a slow and steady decline of the health of the ligaments in their hind knee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to prevent a full rupture<\/a> or many painful months or years of a slow decline, it is important for the owner to closely monitor the knees of their dogs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

Smaller dogs have less knee injuries, dogs that maintain a healthy weight for their size, and dogs that are able to get plenty of exercise on terrain such as dirt, a forest floor, or the beach, and off leash have less knee injuries in general. So, if you have a dog that is carrying more weight than is healthy for their size, it is definitely time to trim down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Determine If Your Dog Has An Injured Hind Knee Even If There Was Not A Singular Trauma To The Knee?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most dog knee injuries do not occur in a single moment, but rather slowly wither away and become less and less stable. If you notice that your dog has developed a slight limp or change in their gate, they may be experiencing a knee injury, even if subtle. Given how common ACL tears are in dogs, it is worth getting your dog\u2019s knees checked out by a qualified veterinarian. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You may notice a slight \u2018decline\u2019 in your dog\u2019s mood or willingness to partake in activities they once found enjoyable. Or perhaps your dog is not able to jump up into the car the way they once could. A slow decline of the function of the hind knees in your dog can happen so slowly that you may not notice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is anything unusual about how your dog walks, runs, or jumps be sure to consult your veterinarian and begin a preventative plan to halt further damage to your dog\u2019s knee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the age and breed of your dog, you may decide that  either surgery or conservative management will be the best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of your choice, your dog needs to be a healthy weight to prevent further damage to the hind knees. If your dog has slight tears to the CCL, it is best to begin a recovery plan immediately. Full ruptures are much more difficult to manage than small sprains and tears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surgery Options To Prevent Further Tearing of Your Dog\u2019s CCL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you know that your dog\u2019s hind knees are experiencing a slow decline in health, you may want to consider preventative surgery. What surgery might be best as a preventative type of care?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surgery always poses some risk, but if you decide you would like to go this route to stop further damage to your dog\u2019s CCL, most likely the traditional Extracapsular Repair will be the best option as a preventative means.<\/p>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

For the record, here are the three primary forms of dog knee surgery, although the first is likely the best option as a preventative protocol, and also the least expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n