25/03/2024
Case of the Week, 25/03/2024 - Cranial Cruciate Rupture
This week’s case of the week is 'Betty'. She is a lovely Labrador who came into our hospital for back leg lameness. She had hurt herself at the beach the day before her check-up. The veterinarian did a full physical examination, then performed radiographs under a light anaesthetic. Unfortunately, Betty was diagnosed with a full cranial cruciate rupture in her right hind leg. She had a TPLO surgery performed on her knee a few days later to repair the knee joint. At her final check up 12 weeks post-surgery, she had made a full recovery and was back to (gently) walking along the beach.
Cranial cruciate ligament rupture is a very common injury in dogs. The cruciate ligament is in your pets’ stifle (knee) joint and functions as the stabilizing ligament of the knee joint. The most common reasons for this injury to occur are trauma or degeneration of the ligaments within the joint. It is usually extremely painful, and the stifle (knee) joint becomes unstable, resulting in lameness. Cruciate injuries can occur in all sizes of dogs.
The diagnosis of a cruciate rupture involves a consult with the veterinarian, who will perform a variety of tests on the leg to assess the stability of the stifle (knee). They will then recommend radiographs to assess the bones and joints. A diagnosis is then made.
Unfortunately, surgery is the most effective treatment option. The ligament will never regrow or repair itself. Untreated, the stifle will end up very arthritic which will affect your pet as they age.
There are multiple surgical repair options available. The most common repair that we perform at Allpets is a TPLO surgery.
Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery stabilizes the knee joint following a cranial cruciate rupture. This surgery involves changing the angle and relationship of the femur and the tibia, which then eliminates the need for the cranial cruciate ligament altogether. Generally, most patients are weight bearing on the leg within 7 days, most are back to normal by 3 months post op.
If your pet is suffering from lameness, please make an appointment to have them checked out.
Appointments can be made, either by calling (07) 5495 8100 or emailing: [email protected]
