My dog has a torn knee. What else can I do for her recovery?

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 Boop by Petco to help you care for Gumbo.

I'm sorry for Brody's injury. It sounds like he had ruptured his cranial cruciate ligament. Surgery is the ideal treatment but when that is not possible, crate rest is strongly recommended. Every time Brody steps on that leg he is injuring it further. If he tries to run and jump or play on it he will injure it even more. So 4-8 weeks of cage rest is better than a lifetime of chronic pain and lameness. There are things you can do to try to make it easier on him. Toys or chews that may interest him but that he can't swallow large pieces of. Make sure he can be out with you on a leash when possible instead of a cage. If he is super anxious or fighting the crate you may need to discuss anxiety or sedation medications with your vet. Here's an article that explains CCL injury a little bit more. I would recommend starting Brody on a supplement such as Dasaquin to try to limit arthritis effects in his knees. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1975

Typically these surgeries are pretty routine when performed by qualified individuals. The most common complications associated with them include pain, inflammation, implant failure, and infection. The most important thing to remember post surgically is to follow the instructions given to you regarding cage rest, leash walking, passive range of motion exercising, and general care of the surgical site. If you do all this, the chance of complications will be very small and the chance of a successful experience will be very high. I'm sure everything is going to be just fine! Hope this helps answer your questions.

Poor Chile! It sounds like your vet did exactly the same treatment plan that I would have done. I would make sure that the vet tested his knee to ensure he hasn't torn his cruciate ligament. This is usually require a surgical repair but due to his age, I would probably recommend to just keep him confined and let the scar tissue develop around the knee to help stabilize it. I would continue strict confinement and the pain meds. If it isn't improving, I would have your vet recheck him. I would also consider getting him on some joint supplements like dasuquin or flexadin. I hope this helps!

I’m a Rehab veterinarian and have found braces and wraps do not stabilize the knee. Leash walk only for potty breaks like you are doing is all you want to do physically. Please give the medication as directed. If there is a rehab facility in your area they can help you with laser treatments for pain and some conservative exercise. If she does too much activity on the other rear leg that CCL can tear also. Surgery is indicated in a dog of that size and age. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Moyer.

Rest, rest, rest. A vet can also prescribe some anti-inflammatories and give you a dose of glucosamine to help. Water exercise like swimming is a great way to keep the joint lubricated while taking stress off the joint. Make sure she doesn't become overweight. Please do not give any medications over the counter until you talk to your vet. Kisses to Stella!

Where surgical treatment is not an option then the alternative options are: pain relief medications; joint care diets (hills); strict weight management; physiotherapy; acupuncture; chiropractic care and possibly steroid injections. It is important to assess her quality of life and comfort levels to ensure she is not suffering undue pain

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Brooklyn. I usually discuss surgical repair when I diagnose a dog with a cruciate injury, but it is not my only approach. Conservative care has been more effective in small breed dogs though in my opinion. However, I have had some large breed dogs do well without surgery. I usually start with strict rest for a period of 4-6 weeks depending on the case. This can allow scar tissue to develop in the knee and stabilize the joint. I will also prescribe pain medication as needed as well as prescription joint supplements. If the dog is overweight at all, I will use a veterinary weight loss diet. Any additional weight will be extra stress and strain on that joint. So I want the dog to be as lean as possible. If the dog is comfortable, I will gradually return them to their normal activity level. I also warn owners, if a dog suffers a cruciate injury on one leg then they are likely to suffer the same thing on the other rear leg as it is a degene

Hi there. You can start Cloud on a joint supplement consisting of glucosamine and chondroitin-but this takes a while to show a lot of improvement. It is available in a canine formula and you can order from an online pet store or places like Amazon. If you can take him in to your veterinarian, they will prescribe you some medications to keep him much more comfortable and potentially discuss surgery options if his knees are the only thing giving him some issues. Hope this helps!

Hello and welcome to Boop by Petco. 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!