Torn ACL in Dog

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I didn't have to restrict Abbie (rottie) to a kennel post-op when she had her ACL surgeries. She had a cast on her leg that kept the leg in place. With the casts on, she didn't want to move around that much.

With the first surgery, she chewed part of her cast off while I was at work one day. Back to the vet for new cast and cone for the head. She really didn't want to move around after that with this HUGE cone on her head that banged into everything.

Good luck with Molly and the surgery.

The best thing you can do for her in a month when you get the go ahead is to take her for walks to regain strength and muscle lost, good premium dog food, and keep her at a healthy weight for life.

 

[cmjust0]

A friend's dog had 'heavy suture' surgery a few weeks after my dog had the TightRope.. I asked him from time to time how his dog's recovery was progressing.. He kept saying he wasn't walking on it...week after week, no real progress.

Then one day he said "He still won't walk on that leg, but he puts it down when he runs."

I was like

WHY IS YOUR DOG RUNNING?!?!?!

Nobody told him to keep the dog confined.. He had him running, walking, out in the backyard without supervision, going up and down stairs -- just whatever. I told him how my vet recommended 8wks confinement and he was a little hot at his own vet for not mentioning it..

To this day, I think the dog's still gimpy...can't help but think it's partially the result of bad post-op instruction.. It also might have something to do with the fact that his dog's surgery was like WAY cheaper than anyone else's that I'd heard of.. When he told me what it cost, it actually sounded a little shady..

Anyway, definitely ask about recovery protocols.. Don't let them go through all the trouble of doing the surgery, only to have the dog screw its leg up because nobody told you it wasn't supposed to do x,y,z for __ weeks and so forth.

 

[Turkenlover]

AMEN to the above!! You MUST restrict your dog after ACL surgery!!!!

I wish we had a cast or a brace on crazy Sophie, but we did not. Still, it all turned out ok, after weeks and weeks of kenneling. *SIGH.*

 

[Appytaz]

My boxer tore hers last year. The vet gave her a weekly injection for 3 weeks to see if it would help. We kept her on "bedrest" for 8 weeks - no extra movements - we have 3 acres she LOVES to run on - had to leash walk her only. I slept on the couch for 6 weeks so she would sleep on the floor next to me. Normally she is in the bed right next to me (yes VERY spoiled and a big ol' mommas girl)
She is fine now - If she gets to much exercise or the rain will sometimes bother her - but her aspirin clear it right up. I am very glad we waited and didnt jump on the surgery!

 

[Iluvmypeeps]

Gosh, I'm so sorry about what you've been through. Hoping all goes well and your baby feels better soon.

 

[cmjust0]

Quote:
ACL tears aren't really a matter of jumping/not-jumping on surgery...it's a matter of how badly torn the ACL is. If your boxer had a partial tear, waiting was appropriate. My dog had a complete tear, along with meniscal damage and some PCL damage -- waiting would only have extended his pain.

What's important to understand here is that there's very little bloodflow into the actual ACL itself, so there's not much regeneration or healing to it. Smaller dogs (with smaller ACLs) sometimes heal, but big dogs with complete tears WILL require surgery..

I only mention it because someone whos dog completely blew their ACL might read your post and think "Oh, maybe I just need to rest my dog and he'll grow a new ACL"...not gonna happen. Dog only suffers longer in that situation.

 

[Appytaz]

I see what you mean on the difference and yes it was a Tear! I know the vet said that we would try rest first and if that didn't work - then we would have to go for the surgery. I am very lucky to have a vet that is not immediately into the big money procedures. I had a horse with an eye ulcer once and he actually met me on the side of the road during his farm visits to give me meds for it. i do love my vet! (now his wife is a whole different story lol)

 

[Tinted]

Quote:
At three being a Sainty she might not live the 9+ years you are expecting. The average life span for a sainty is about 6-8 years. But she is LOVEY. And looks to be a doll.

 

[ShrekDawg]

oh im so sorry about your dog, hope all goes well. I have never had a dog tear an ACL, although my brother tore his last year skiing... haha he went off the trail and i guess there were these like 30ft cliff/"steps" jump things that he was going sideways off of and i guess he heard his knee pop or make a noise or whatever but still skiied down the mountain anyways, and THEN he wasnt supposed to participate in gym but he did, he played basketball and jumped or whatever and tore his meniscus too, i think was like the next month or a few weeks later or something, idk, but anyways, i think all this was in like february and he had the surgery in april last year, he recovered pretty well though and i think hes fine now, but just kind of dumb of him... haha that was my older bro, hes fine now though, never had it happen with a dog though... haha and dragoneggs, im so sorry about your dog, but glad he's ok, the driver really should have been paying more attention, and what if he HAD hit your boyfriend, then that REALLY would have been bad, i mean the dogs bad enough, plus if he had hit your boyfriend too, omg that would have been awful, some people i swear...

 

[Slinkytoys]

You might try looking for a vet school, even if it's not real close. The price is usually better and the dogs gets very good care as several students are assigned to each pet. Might be well worth a long drive.
Slinky