My dog has cruciate damage. What else can I do to avoid surgery?

Question

Vet suspects mild cruciate ligament damage in both hind legs. Suggested mobility diet & cosequin supplements. I switched to Science Diet Mobility & give cosequin daily per instructions on bottle. Also give Science Diet Flexi Stix Jerky with glucosamine & chondroitin, Zuke's Mobility Chews, & Pet Botanics Omega Plus treats. Also feeding Milkbone Brushing Chews. Anything else I could be doing? I asked about specific exercises but vet didn't give any. Would like to avoid surgery if possible. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 3 years and 7 months old | 73 lbs

Ann Dion, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like you are doing everything you can right now in terms of supplements and joint support which is good. Since it is both her back legs, and she is a large dog, and she is young, getting surgery on at least one leg is a good idea for her quality of life long term. The alternative however is medical management which includes everything you are doing, PLUS weight loss to keep her on the skinny side PLUS getting that muscle mass up. Since her joints are unstable and cannot tolerate a lot of stress, running and walking may cause more damage, therefore swimming is the best option for her. If you can get her muscle mass up with lots of swimming, and keep her weight lean, you might be able to get her joints more support. As mentioned previously, think about getting surgery on at least one leg. Best of luck with Mania!

My dog has cruciate damage. What else can I do to avoid surgery?

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