Dog tore knee ligament: is surgery always required for recovery?

Question

My 35 lb terrier mix has torn a ligament in her knee. Is surgery necessary? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 7 years and 10 months old | 36 lbs

Dr. Davis · Accepted Answer

A torn cruciate ligament in the knee is not something you need to rush to surgery for. I'm a rehab veterinarian and I usually recommend rest, anti inflammatory medication, and short leash walks for potty only. If she is improving over the next few weeks then she may recover well without surgery. If there is no improvement or she starts using it, then gets worse again then I do recommend surgery. It is very important to prevent any jumping and no explosive movements. Basically Gumbo needs to be leash walked only for up to three months for her to recover without surgery. Also if you have a veterinary rehab clinic near you taking her for treatment there would assist her recovery without surgery. If you have additional questions please request a consultation with me and I can answer them. This is the most common injury I see in my practice. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Gumbo.

Dog tore knee ligament: is surgery always required for recovery?

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