CCL Rupture in my climbing partner (Scooter Bug)

[Kitergal]

Hi gang,

My puppy (ok, she's 2 guess that makes her a dog now) just got back from the vet. She blew out her knee!!

 

I have two options for surgery for her TPLO- Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy, or replacing the ruptured ligament with a nylon filament line to replace it.

 

TPLO- The TPLO, there's a surgeon in Issaquah, they don't replace the ligament, but flatten the top of the Tibia, so that the ball joint can rest on it more easily, instead of slipping backwards on the slope of the Tibia, which is what the ligament stops. It is very expensive, as the surgeons doing the surgery have to be specially licensed and pay for patented tools to do it.

 

The other my family vet can do the procedure.

 

Has anyones hiking partner had any experiences with either of these? Does anyone recommend one over the other? Etc.

 

A brief history of scoots, She has climbed mt. adams, rainier, stuart, and many others! She has kayaked and rafted down numerous rivers and she goes with me everywhere! She is my climbing partner!!

[thelawgoddess]

wow; she's more active than me these days. i hope you get her all fixed up!

[layton]

In my opinion, always opt for the least invasive thing possible...bodies don't react well to invasive surgery. Leveling the tibial plateau sounds pretty damn harsh, don't you think it would cause osteoarthritis later on? Also, what do they do with the meniscus that's attached to the tibia. do they remove it, shave down the tibia, and reattach the meniscus? all that vs. something that is routinely done? sounds like they're using dogs as guiny pigs on a new surgery for humans. and "CCL" what colateral is that? do you mean LCL or MCL? if so those aren't that deep so the surgery wouldn't be that complicated.

what were the potential drawbacks for the "CCL??" surgery, you didn't list any.

[Mr._Natural]

One of my Shepherds is having a partially torn ACL repaired on the 1st. Here's to a speedy recovery for them both.

As an aside; I was at a climbers gathering of sorts last weekend and it seemed as if half of the dogs were currently dealing with some sort of knee related injury/issue. These are active people who like to get out with their canine buds. Makes one (me) wonder if these types of activities (extended hiking, skiing, etc...) are beneficial or detrimental to their long term well being. So where do you draw the line between quality of life and health? Sorry for the thread drift, feel free to ignore it.

[Kitergal]

CCL is the cranial cruciate ligament, it's equivalent to a humans ACL in the knee.

 

Mr. Natural, that is a fabulous question. I will say that my sister (completely non active individual) has a lab that did the exact same thing that my pup did on a "play date" at the local dog park. (yes..my sister is ultra yuppie). Soo...one's gotta wonder if it helps or hinders a dog to be active/healthy. Scoots loves to go hiking/etc with me. As I was packing for this weekends trip as soon as she see's my backpack she gets all ancy. sucks that she has to get dropped off at the grandparents this time 'cause she's a limpy looo.

 

Michael, One draw back to the routine surgery is the fiber that they replace the ligament with can "snap". It's rare, although with as active as my pup is I wouldn't be surprised if it happens to her. Another draw back is she will more than likely always have a limp. The vet say's it's more "mechanical" than "out of pain"...but she'll still limp! With the TPLO, she'll be limp free, and "possibly" have better conformation (less stress on the body parts) than she was born with.

 

Either way, THIS SUCKS!!

[Kitergal]

Mr. Natural- Which version of the surgery did you choose?

[Kitergal]

and yes, As with all surgical procedures affecting bone, arthritis will develop in the joint in varying degrees, from dog to dog. I haven't found anything that states one vs the other has better/worse effects with this.

[barjor]

To bad about your pup. I would also think about the recovery time and how the effect of the surgery will be effected if scoots moves around to much before it is all healed up. Good luck keeping a 2 year old lab still for 1-2month.

 

Our oldest dog is now 11 and her knee is really bad. We decided to not do anything about it because it would be alot of pain and not increase her life quailty with alot.

 

Edited May 26, 2005 by barjor

[Kitergal]

yeah, she's not a pure-bred lab...but has the heyperactivity of one! I wish I knew how to attach pictures!! She's actually part coyote, part husky, and part yellow lab. Small, and super hyper!! spam!!

[Mr._Natural]

barjor, nice looking dog. reminds me of my own long haired gsd.

 

 

marie, he partially tore the acl so the should be able to just repair the damage with stitches and not have to do any re-routing or anything like that. there is some bone deformation that they will be shaving down to create a smooth round surface.

[Kitergal]

How are you putting a pic in your post??

[iain]

She's actually part coyote, part husky, and part yellow lab

 

Sounds like some creature that would come out of the grasslands at Smith Rock

[Kitergal]

Close! I got her when I was living in Othello....Eastern Washington in the middle of the freak'in dessert!!

 

Her ma was a coyote, and her pop was a husky/lab mix. her dad was freak'in AWESOME looking!! Mom..umm..yeah..a little sketchy!

[Kitergal]

k lets see if this works....trying to attach pic..hope you can see it!!

[robert]

Marie,

If you post a picture to the photo gallery you can then use the UBB Image code to insert it into your post. It will prompt you for a URL and you can use the URL of the image by right clicking the image in the gallery and choosing properties. It will give you a URL that looks like http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/504/14unbelieve-med.jpg.

I hope that your dog recovers quickly from whichever surgery you choose.

Robert

[barjor]

Yeeeah Poch picture posting.

 

Mr Natural

Nice looking dogs you got, but then I am slightly biased.

[Mr._Natural]

thanks. i have to say that i am totally dreading the 6 weeks of post-op confinement. poor guy is going to have to be crated basically 24/7 minus bathroom breaks and eating time.

[Kitergal]

mr. natural, so my sister had the TPLO surgery done (which she is highly recommending for my dog) and had to the same crate thing. I heard that if you go with the other version, you pup can get put in a cast and they are able to do their thing....

 

You did, or did not do the TPLO?

 

-M

[Mr._Natural]

No, he is not having the TPLO. Since the x-rays and his behavior seem to indicate just a partial tear, we are trying to keep it as less invasive as possible. I was told the tear would be repaired using sutures, but not casted. I have a consultation with the vet next week prior to the procedure to discuss the details. Cool looking dog, hope everything goes well.

[Dru]

if it's just one leg you could always opt for the inexpensive tripod option

 

[layton]

ME and Hopalong the Dog. I love my doggie!

 

[jordop]

My dog died of rectal/anal cancer about two years ago.

Edited June 4, 2021 by jordop

[layton]

your dog may have had a latex allergy, Jordop

[jordop]

Yeah thanks a lot for ruining my last, treasured memories of Flopsy

[layton]

i forgot that's what i called her. from her photo! ha ha!