SubscribeCost of Repairing a Torn ACL/CCL Injury in a Dogs Knee
Finding out that your dog has torn or ruptured its CCL (comparable to the ACL in humans) is some of the worst news that a dog owner can hear, and while the first thought that crosses our minds as dog owners is what do we need to do to make it better? The questions that comes right after that is usually, What is it going to cost to repair the torn ACL/CCL? The truth of the matter is that we’d all do anything to make sure that our dogs are safe and healthy, however, the fact of the matter is that most surgical procedures to treat a torn or ruptured CCL will typically range from $1,500 on the very low end, all the way up to as much as $5,000 on the high end of the spectrum.
The cost for the surgical procedure to repair the CCL will depend on a number of factors, including, but probably not limited to:
- The type of surgery – there are 4 different types of CCL surgery.
- The size of the dog – Depending on the size of the dog, some procedures may not be an option.
- The location that you live in – For example, surgery in Idaho will probably be less than it would be in Southern California.
- The severity of the injury – Depending on how much damage was actually done to the stifle joint.
- The hidden cost – The follow-up visits. We usually don’t take these into consideration when evaluating the initial cost of surgery, but the follow-up visits definitely add up, and is something you should be clear on before committing to the surgery, especially if you have a limited budget.
All in all, when all is said and done, the average surgery cost will probably end up being somewhere around $2,500. I’ve gathered this figure through my personal experience, through talking with people (in person and via email) and through reading stories from other people online.
Related Posts
- Dog Knee Surgery Costs – Cost of Repairing a Torn Dog Knee Ligament
- Cost of TPLO Surgery – Cost to Repair Torn Cruciate Ligament in Dogs
- Cost of TTA Surgery for Cranial Cruciate Ligament – Cost of Knee Surgery for Dogs
- Cost of Dog Knee Surgery – Are There Options to Reduce the Cost?
- Hidden Costs and Unexpected Costs of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair in Dogs
Our 56 pound boxer tore her left leg ACL, completely, and could not walk. Repair cost $3,300. We live just outside Wash DC in the Virginia suberbs. That was exactly 8 weeks ago. Kept her inside all the time except for short 10 minute walks at the 4 week marker. Her leg is doing great, but, just last Sunday she tore the other knee, just slipping on the pool deck. She was not even running, just slipped trying to stand up. The knee bent sideways and she held it up immediately signaling a tear or partial tear. When reading all these articles, many of them say to almost expect for it to happen to the opposite leg. Like you, we went on vacation to the beach 3 weeks following the surgery and left her in a kennel/hospital. No steps whatsoever for a minimum of 8 weeks, so be prepared to carry him up and down steps. I don’t know what we will do now. She puts weight on that leg but has a slight limp. We may just keep her quiet, which we are doing anyway, and let it try and heal, even with arthritis. She is such a sweet and loving dog and has been a great patient. Good luck in whatever you decide.
Penny,
Thanks for sharing your story, I’m sorry to hear that your dog injured the opposite leg. Please keep us informed on what you decide and whether you choose to go ahead with a second surgery on the other leg.
Best of luck!
Next week we are taking our 5 year old chocolate lab in for tplo surgery. My main concern is the weeks after the surgery. We have another yellow lab and they play alot. We also have stairs to get outside. To what extent do I have to prepare my house for her recovery? How inactive does she have to be? I was told up tp 12 weeks of inactivity!! How do we do that? If you could give me some advice on slowing her down for the next 3 months that would be great. You have also mentioned that the traditional surgery does well. Our dog is about 80lb. She is a big lab. Would tplo be the right surgery to go with?
Thanks in advance
Hi Jay -
As far as the type of surgery, I’m not the one to give any final recommendation, but I have heard the TPLO is generally a better option for large dogs.
In terms of inactivity, we were also told 12 weeks. Our dog was 60lbs at the time of surgery and was obviously a bit overweight. We kept her in a pen and restricted her food, down to about 3/4 of what she was previously eating. She now weighs between 42-45lbs and that alone has drastically helped her mobility and recovery (in my opinion). Keeping her inactive was tough, especially considering that we had a 2 year old puppy who always wanted to play. We just kept her in a cage through the day and night and only took her out (on leash) to go to the bathroom. There were some days where she was really antsy and wanting to get out so we’d give her a sedative – we hated doing this, but it was for her own good.
I hope this info helps, feel free to comment again if you have any other questions! And please let us know how your surgery goes!
Best of luck!
Thanks very much for the info. Never thought of putting her in a kennel. Feel bad about doing that, but like you said it is for her own good.
Thanks again
i have an 8 year old boxer who has addisons and because of her prednisone gained alot of weight she weighs 110 pounds and the vet said she should only be around 60 however it was the reason she hurt her knee and im going to get the surgery but i guess im just worried will she recover good? i am just sick over this. mom going crazy with worry about what to do she cant walk either and i just want her 100% better is this possible?
Hi Bert -
From everything I’ve heard, overweight dogs tend to have knee problems far more frequently than “fit” dogs. Our dog lost about 30% of her body weight after surgery, due to the diet we put her on. From experience, I’d say that your dog will have a much better chance of fully recovering if its weight is kept down. If you think it’d help, I’d be willing to post some articles on weight management and weight loss for dogs. Let me know what you think.
Best of luck!
No problem Jay – its always hard to cage up your dog (especially the active ones) but in the grand scheme of themes, its only for a short amount of time, and it is for their own good. Without doing that, the dog could reinjure its leg, or worse, injure the other.
Thanks for commenting! I’ve been trying to get this blog out there a bit more and its nice to see that people are finding it!
hello, its bert again if you would post weight managment that i could try id be willing im up for any help she eats four cans of pedagree a day now two in morning and two in evening we did give her the pedagree weight managment but she would not eat it! thanks
Our dog need knee surgery, but the vet said he was too old. What is the oldest you recommend for this type of surgery?
hi my dog sam a 9 year old jack rustle terrier hurt his right knee the vet told me that he had torn his acl, what can i do to help his leg heel by its self. he was a little over weight but now he lost a lot and is not eating/drinking much how do i keep him eating/drinking.
Hi Luke -
Sorry to hear about Sam. The fact of the matter is that a torn ligament WILL NOT heal by itself. That’s the reason I put this website up, to hopefully let users find cheaper/better options.
From my best understanding, if the torn ligament goes untreated, the joint will remain unstable, and in the best case scenario, the dog will develop scar tissue around the joint that will “simulate” stability, however the ligament will never repair itself.
Losing weight will definitely help your dog if you decide to not have surgery, but if your dog is just not eating/drinking anything, it could mean that he is in pain. You may want to go back to your vet and see if you can get any pain medication and or anti-inflammatory medications.
I hope this info helps, best of luck to you and your dog!
I went to the vet xrays, pain meds, etc. $313.00. My black lab jaxon 87ibs. 6years old needs surgery (MRIT)he has cranial cruciate ligament rupture. How long can I wait???? Can I try to get his weight down and wait until spring???? Also and save the money for the surgery.
Hi Lisa -
If your dog is overweight, reducing his weight will definitely help in terms of mobility, recovery and prevention. In terms of waiting, it’d be best to ask your vet. If the cost is preventing you from getting the surgery immediately, just make sure that you limit your dogs movement and activity as much as possible in the interim.
Best of luck to you and Jaxon!
Hi
I have a very active boxer and am looking for someone who has a active breed and has had a CCL surgery on their dog and some time has passed. I need to get him surgery and am leaning towards the TTA but would like to talk to someone who hasnt had it so recently so I can get some stories about dogs who have had it maybe a year ago and see where they are at with it. Thanks so much.
I have a 95lb 8-year-old black lab with a torn ACL and just earlier today he tried to run and hurt his other hind leg. He now limps while holding up his newly injured paw while on one diagnosed with the torn ACL. The original price I got from my vet was $3300 for one knee which included the surgery, x-rays, and two sessions of some kind of rehab they do at their clinic in a pool? At the moment it is a little too pricey and I have begun looking into alternatives to my regular vet clinic and found out that the University of Wisconsin-Madison has a School of Veterinary Medicine where they sometimes do procedures such as the TPLO for a lower price than an actual clinic. I am not sure as to what qualifies a dog for the procedures but I will be making calls starting tomorrow and I will try to post any updates. In the mean time are there any over the counter “pain medications” that I can give my pup to at least let him go outside to do his business?
Hi Tony -
Sorry to hear about your dog. I can’t imagine having to deal with 2 torn ACLs at the same time. I hope that you’re able to get some help from UW.
As far as over the counter pain medications, I really don’t know of any offhand. I’ll see if I can ask around a bit and post a few options here for you.
In the meantime, I’d just ice it (if your dog will let you), and keep it as restricted as possible in order not to do more damage to the knee.
Best of luck
Hi Julie -
We have a very active pitbull who had the traditional surgery. You can read all about her on this site. She has fully recovered and is still very active.
I know the breed isn’t the same, but its similar. Boxers are much taller, so there may be some problems in trying to go the traditional surgery route on that breed.
Best of luck to you, and hopefully some of our other readers will respond.
hello, its bert again. i just wanted 2 let every one know that i took my dog maggie 110 pound boxer in for the knee surgery and it did not go well 4 maggie due 2 what we think was her weight. it is very hard for me 2 understand but maggie lost her life that day(sept.16,2009) and i am very upset because i just think they could have worned me about that chance. not one day has went past that i have not cried, and i have 2 wonder if i should have let her go in 4 surgery?! i guess what my point is, is that please know the risk first because as much as i wanted 2 fix my dogs leg i would not have done it until she lost weight had i known! nothing like take ur dog in 4 a broke knee(i call it)and get a call that she has died. i dont wish this on anyone, although i dont blame anyone and am very glad u have this site so people can b prepared, thanks again 4 all the answers i did get and good luck 2 everyone, bert
Hi my name is shaunna. I had just taken my dog to the vet a couple of weeks ago. I noticed that she was limping after i played ball with her. It would go away but recently she wouldnt stop limping. Well when i took her to the vet. They said she had a torn ligament in her knee and the best way to fix it is to have the surgury. But there are other treatmenat that will help too. I also had her thriod level checked because dogs with low thirod are more prown too tarn their ligiments. have any of you had your dogs thirod level checked. My dogs level was low so that was part of her cause of taring her ligeament and her weight problem. she is a blue heeler.
My dog Digger tore his ACL and possibly injured the other one. He is a big boy about 130 lbs. He is a Newfoundland. I can no way afford thousands of dollars. I will probably have to put him down. I don’t want to he is such a lovable big guy. Every time I walk him we get stopped by everyone wanting to pet him. He loves people and I wanted to take him to the Care Center. He is so gentle. I can’t bear to have him suffer though. I will try what I can to get him fixed though.
Hi Chuck -
Sorry to hear about your dog Digger. I’ve got a friend who has had a couple of Newfoundlands and the are great dogs! Very people friendly and loveable.
Look through this site on the conservative management section, and also try Googling that term as well. You might find some good surgery alternatives if you cannot afford the surgery.
Best of luck.
I have a 2 yr old boxer, Niko. In February he was limping. He was x-rayed and nothing was found. Stopped limping within a few weeks. He started limping again in November. Had him x-rayed again and my vet couldn’t see anything. He recommended having the x-rays read by a radiologist because he knew something WAS wrong. Both new and old x-rays were sent out. Turns out in February’s x-rays, there is inflammation around the ligament consistant with a torn ligament. A spur was also found on the top and bottom of his knee. Mild arthritis has set in. Also the torn ligament is a mild case. But he always limps or holds his leg up completely. But it doesn’t stop him from running 100 miles an hour in open areas. I have kept him housebound for 2 weeks now. He’s no better. We saw a surgeon last week and put him on anti-inflammatories and pain meds. The surgeon said to try for a few weeks to see if it is a flare up. If it doesn’t get better we will have to operate. He wants to replace, not repair, the ligament. Drill a hole in the bone and put something almost like fishing line to replace the ligament. Is this normal and should he repair the ligament if possible? I also have a Great Dane who he loves and plays rough with all the time. She is crated at night, but Niko never goes in a crate. How do I keep him confined? Also, I live in a raised ranch, which means, 1st floor there is a flight of stairs to go down to go out. Or he has to go done stairs to the basement to go out. Stairs everywhere!! I am very worried about how to proceed with him. I don’t want him in pain anymore, but want to make sure surgery is the answer. He was fine for so many months. Any advice or medical knowledge is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hi Angela -
Unfortunately, x-rays do not show ligaments, they only show bones, that’s why humans have to have MRIs when they are suspected to have a torn ligament. In dogs, many vets will manipulate the joint in order to feel for “drawer movement” or instability.
We had the extracapsular surgery that you mentioned above – the nylon/filiment that is put in place to stabilize the knee and act like the ligament would in a healthy knee.
Here are some articles on diagnosing knee injuries:
http://dogkneeligament.com/category/diagnosis/
Here are some crates that we used and recommend: Crates & Pens
I have a 12 1/2 yrs. old Golden Retriever who has just been diagnosed
with ccl. Is surgery really recommended for a dog that age? Will he be in good shape after surgery?
Hi mrs.jay -
Sorry to hear about your dog. From the few people I’ve talked to, I haven’t heard anybody recommend CCL surgery for a dog over 10 years of age. Typically, the reason for this is the fact that the dog is far less active after 10 years of age and putting the dog under for such an invasive surgery usually isn’t worth the risk as it may not improve the dogs quality of life that much. As with all posts on this blog, I’d recommend that you visit your veterinarian and have a discussion to determine the best course of action for your particular situation.
Best of luck to you and your dog. Please follow up and let us know what you choose to do.
Thanks Kenneth for your quick response. My vet is the one recommending this surgery. However, they plan on running all blood tests, x-rays, etc. prior to doing surgery. If you don’t recommend surgery for a dog over 10 yrs. of age, is it fair to let him finish his days being lame as he is. It’s very hard to lift him to get him outside, and it’s very hard to see him limping around.
I have a chow who is scheduled for ccl surgery on Monday. I believe I’ve found a very good vet who specializes in orthopedic surgery and has a great post-op plan with PT. I wanted to do the extra cap surgery, but the vet wants to do the TTA. My chow is 58 lbs, will be 10 in May, but is extremeley active. Do you think her weight is too high for the extra cap or would you not recommend surgery at all due to her age?
I have a 3 year old Lab, Max. He’s incredibly active as we live on a large farm with another 7 year old Lab. We just found out that Max has a partially torn CCL, he’s 100lbs (which is large for a Lab, yet he towers over the other lab who is a healthy 83lbs.)He is a little chunky but is in great shape, he’s very quick to get food even with his bad leg (he stole the Easter ham with 12 of us in the room). Since the ligament is only partial and he is still able to run full speed and play all day, he’s not whimpering or fussing over the leg that is injured, simply lifting it only at night, I’m wondering if surgery is the best option. It’s not about the money, I just don’t want to put him through a surgery at such a young age, and him have more problems down the road. I’ve read that he may develop arthritis (yet the test came back very clean and he’s good right now), or that the other leg had a good chance of tearing the CCL as well. Also, what about the mobility afterwards. Will he be the same old dog? Able to run up and greet me down the 1km driveway or play ball with the other dogs? I can keep him quiet at my parents house for as long as needed to have the leg heal without surgery. Any information is greatly appreciated.
My Beagle — Daisy — just tore her ACL on Sunday and her surgery is scheduled for Monday. I am wondering how much PT she really needs to go to at the therapy center and how much I can do at home. I want to keep the costs down, but I want her to heal properly too.
Hi Anne -
We did all of the “therapy” at home… Basically consisted of no activity, and slowly adding small/short walks back into her routine after 3 months. Once she was walking well, we got her into the pool to do some swimming.
I just brought my very big, but gentle, Golden home from the vet who suspects he has torn his CCL…I’ve been told to keep him at rest for one week and then recheck to see how he’s doing. He was sent home with Rimadyl and I’ve put an ice pack on his leg. He’s seven years old and lost his mate last summer to cancer. He has spent a lot more time inside which led to his weight gain and I’m guessing this injury? I feel responsible if this is the case. He may need surgery if drugs/rest don’t work. What else can I do for him in the meantime? Meredith
My beagle has an acl surgery coming up, anyone have any advice for me?
Thanks
Hi Cindy -
See Amanda’s post here:
http://dogkneeligament.com/weight-management/conservative-managementtreatment-as-a-cranial-cruciate-ligament/
That might help you out a bit.
Hi Ken -
I’ve got a very active, happy golden mix (about 60 lbs) who appears to have a torn ACL on her left rear leg, according to her primary vet. Lily is limping, but when she sees a squirrel, she’s off like a rocket and appears to be oblivious to her malady! She’s in good health, isn’t overweight, but she has had a femoral head excision on her right leg, so I’m concerned about subjecting her to another surgery and the possibility of two lame legs in the future. I’d love to have a recommendation for a vet that is somewhat a known quantity. Did your dog have the surgery in Southern California? Or has anyone out there a good rec for a So Cal vet ortho? Thanks for your help — and thank you for this wonderful site.
Lynda, my dog is 5 – black lab – and the problem sounds exactly the same. We are considering surgery too. What did you decide? I too am on the fence but fear the arthritis…thanks – Laura
Lynda,
I will be taking my dog to a new vet for a second opinion later this week and will be happy to report back.
Hi Lynda -
We decided to go with extracapsular repair surgery and not the TPLO, which is more invasive and considerably more money; the vet who will perform this surgery has done so on a number of large dogs without any complications. It’s scary, though, as I am concerned about keep her quiet during the first few weeks post surgery. Has anyone else elected to go for this type of surgery with their dogs?
We have a 7 year old yellow lab. She is the best! However she does have the hip problems that labs generally have and arthritis. She has never been a super active lab but will definitely run and play. She has limped for a while and we thought that this was due to the arthritis but on a recent visit to the vet, he said that she also has a torn ACL. He said this really needs to be fixed. I do not know much about the surgery other than the costs associated with it which would be very difficult to pay at the moment. She is slightly overweight but has really had not other major health issues other than an ear infection. I am looking for advice for this surgery. I want to know if it is worth it because of her age and the common problems that a lot of labs have. Again I do not know much about surgery, but I wanted to know if this will fix the problem or it is inevitable that the other leg will go as well costing more. I just want to know the options or opinions that others have if you have been in this situation as well. She is a member of our family and I want to do as much as I can and would not like to see her suffer.
Hey, My black lab just had knee surgery today and the only way we were able to afford it was a “Care Credit” Card. It is for pet expenses and human expenses also.
Hi Sonya, sorry to hear about your dog. Would you care to expand on the “Care Credit” card? I’ve never heard of that. It might be something that could be of value to our readers.
Thank you
My husband and I have a 57lb doberman who is 7 years old and tore her ACL while jumping off the bed. Lexis qualified for the TTA surgery, and we spent approximately $3000 (which included the consult, an x-ray, the surgery, and all medications). We live in Oklahoma City. We are on day 2 after the surgery, and so far she is doing well, but her leg is extremely swollen. She does not like to be pinned up, so I did give her a sedative.
Oops, I had a typo, Lexis did not have the TTA surgery. She had the TPLO surgery.
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