Dog Knee Surgery & CCL Ligament Repair

Treatment and Recovery of Torn Knee Ligament in Doberman Pinschers

Kenneth — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:32:11 +0000

The following story comes from Jan in the United Kingdom. Though most of our readers are from the United States, I thought that it’d be great to offer information for those readers who are overseas and Jan agreed to share her story about her Doberman named Fiel. I hope that all of you all find Jan’s story helpful (this will be released in 3 parts). You can read Part I and Part II here if you haven’t read it already.

Doberman Pinscher Torn Knee Ligament – The Recovery Process (Part III)

The surgeon was pleased with his progress and the bump on his head which had gone down quite a bit, thankfully. He’d had both hips and knees X-rayed which did show there was some arthritis on the injured knee suggesting that there was a previous injury. His hips were good as was his other knee. The plaster was changed and there had only been a bit of leakage. He said that all toilet breaks for the next three months were to be on a lead and I had to walk him 3 times a day for 5 minutes for a week, then back to him for a check then if all was well to increase it to 3 times a day for 10 minutes. The only hiccup was on the third day when the swelling was at its worse.(as the surgeon had warned would happen), especially the ankle. I don’t feel his pain management was enough. Fiel was 55.5kgs (122Lbs) and he was on 40mls of Myloxidyl, once a day and 3 Tramadol twice a day but he was really fidgety with the pain so in the end I rang my vet who always manages his pain well when he’s strained things running etc and he suggested 55mls Myloxidyl, once a day and 5 Tramadol twice a day. He also had a 14 day broad spectrum antibiotic. This was only increased for another 3 days then we went back to the original dose. There was a clicking noise when he was on his walks for about 2 weeks but that stopped as the swelling went down.

All was going well eight weeks after surgery and we’d got up to 20 minutes walking 3 times a day when I noticed he was lifting his leg after the second day of this. He was in agony by the third day so back to the surgeons we went to discover the problem was the hip joint of the same leg as the op. He seemed to be in as much pain as the night of his op. He could get in the car but screamed at the motion of getting down . Back on 5 Tramadol twice a day 55mls of Myloxidyl and a strict diet. 100grams of dried food and as much broccoli,and carrots as he wants. He also has an apple or pear a day a hide chew for three times a week. He was 122lbs and 6 weeks later he’s a 103lbs. He is completely pain free has been off all painkillers for the past 4 weeks and has been discharged from the surgeon. Although he said he’s really half the way though his recovery and the task now is to really make the muscle that’s come back really strong. It’s been 13 weeks.

I have been warned by the Surgeon the other knee is venerable to the same injury as its been working hard to compensate and ideally no more playing Frisbee and ball for the same reason. He’s not allowed up the stairs for another month (about 4 months after the op) so I’ve been sleeping next to him on our bed of 5 puffy quilts since January. He’s so funny. He has an inner clock. Pills at 7am with breakfast, 10am walk. 2pm.walk. 5pm dinner. 7pm walk then pills. Put bedding down by 9.30pm, head on pillow quilt over and asleep. He barked right in my face if I forgot one of these steps early on, although he’s off the pills now except his Thyroxin. I really think routine is important and I’m lucky that I’m at home caring for my 88 year old Mum so I was able to devote the time to his needs. He’s naturally a calm dog although he’s had his moments over this period where he’s chased the cat through to the kitchen but mainly the drugs kept him quiet but to be fair he was himself. We didn’t use a cage as he’s quite happy to sit and observe, then we’d have a walk on leash to the garden. I did buy a couple of interactive games for dogs which he loves as they mean finding food. The Surgeon here feels that unless the dog is completely bouncing of the walls with energy its best not cage them and encourage normal natural short exercise so that muscle wastage is at a minimum.

Bookmark and Share:

Surgical Procedure for a Ruptured CCL in Doberman Pinschers

Kenneth — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:32:36 +0000

Jan’s Doberman Pinscher CCL Story (Part II)

Day of the op I wasn’t happy, like most people leaving their beloved friend to a perfect stranger. Its the only time I felt I was letting him down. Weird as this may sound but we have spent 24 a day together since he was 7 weeks old. (Apart from the odd couple of hours for outings etc) and he is never left by himself as there has always been one of my family around. I did explain to the Surgeon that my own Vet had allowed me to be with him when putting him to sleep for a minor op and on waking had also allowed me to sit with him. Stress free for both of us! This chap didn’t want me to do that so I did as I was told and Fiel was perfectly behaved as he was led away. I was assured that there would always somebody in the room with him so off I went and waited anxiously until 5pm when I phoned as I could not wait one more minute, to be told it had all gone smoothly. He’d already been up on his feet for a pee and I could get him at 7pm. He was there for 7 hours.

This is where I really nearly lost it. He must have heard my voice as I came into the reception and at that point the surgeon called the nurse to let her know I was there. (this apparently was the only time he was alone !) So out came my darling, brave boy with the biggest lump on the top of his head that nobody seem to know what happened. He looked deformed. He had a 10 inch plaster on a not very well shaved leg and was very pleased if not groggy to see my daughter and I. As I ‘d prepared myself for the leg I was fine with that but the bump on the head, WOW. They thought that as he heard my voice he had tried to ram the cage to get to me. I did say he doesn’t like doors shut between him and me. He’s well mannered but calls if he can’t see me. I really felt that it could have been avoided. I paid my £4500 for the day having already paid £500 for blood test and got out of there. I was only insured for £4000 so that was a lesson for me.

I’d bought a sling type thing for the back seats of my car so that he couldn’t fall into the wells and a really puffy quilt. Getting in was okay, he was quite comfortable but getting out 15 minutes later was horrendous. I had been told that if he was in to much pain I could give him an extra 2 Tramadol and wait 30 minutes and try again. We did. He let out a horrendous noise, mouthed my hand and got out. At this point I just cried. My darling daughter held his rear legs up with a towel so that we could get him down our 100 yard path to his puffy quilt bed on the floor of the living room. It took ages but we got there. The lump on his head was massive but he greeted my Mum ate some chicken and stock then went to sleep on his bed with his front paw anchoring my arm as I rested my hand on his head. We stayed like that for about 3 hours when he needed the bathroom but bless him didn’t quite make it. He looked so embarrassed. He obviously was in pain but did manage to get to the garden for a pee, on a leash and back again. He got steadily better on his three feet over the next day and although it was a slow process manged to get up the pathway, into the car (thankfully a grass verge next to it meant he didn’t have so far to jump) and into the surgeons practice two days later.

Be sure to come back to read the remainder of Jan & Fiel’s story – Read Part III.

Bookmark and Share:

Diagnosing a Ruptured Cruciate Ligament in a Doberman Pinscher

Kenneth — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 05:13:04 +0000

Jan’s Doberman Pinscher CCL Story (Part 1)

My 6 and half year old Doberman called Fiel (means Loyal/faithful in Spanish) was just recovering from a hematoma of his ear and lying on his sofa when Millie my cat decided to walk past and wave her tail his way for the daily ritual of chase. Except this time Fiel jumped off the side of the sofa and landed awkwardly and yelped straight away. I had heard a sort of dull crack noise so I knew this wasn’t good. He cried and couldn’t put his back leg down. I rang my vet immediately and his first thoughts were the cruciate ligament. As Fiel was already on Myloxidyl for pain relief and inflammation for his ear, he suggested to carry on with that until I could get him to his office for an evaluation. This took two days as Fiel was in some pain and the joint was not stable so he had to learn a different way of walking and getting in and out of my car.

My vet confirmed that he had the drawer movement of his knee joint which confirmed to him that he had ruptured his cruciate. He booked us in with a Orthopedic Surgeon not far from us who has a fantastic success rate with this particular operation and went to meet him two days later. Sure enough, he had completely ruptured the cranial cruciate ligament (dog ACL) and he explained the tightrope procedure to me and how it is less invasive than other types of surgery but it is likely that arthritis will be a problem in the future because of the nature of the injury. He also mentioned that his knee might have been weakened before and this time its completely snapped. Looking back I suspect he was correct as I do remember Fiel sliding badly on my laminate flooring when he was younger and limping a bit but he healed and I thought nothing more about it.

So he’d had the accident on the Monday, saw his Vet on the Wednesday, the Surgeon on the Friday and the operation was scheduled for the following Tuesday. Eight days from injury to operation. It perhaps would have been quicker but between my Vet and the Surgeon, they were running tests for Von Willibrands disorder and other clotting tests as well as checking Thyroxine levels as he has an under active thyroid. That incidentally was picked up because of a research study on Dobermans as they have a high rate of death due to heart failure, so he has quite extensively tested. Thankfully all of those tests came back negative!

Be sure to come back to read the remainder of Jan & Fiel’s story – Read Part II.

Bookmark and Share:

Dealing With Arthritis After Knee Surgery

Kenneth — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 05:53:38 +0000

Those of us who have suffered knee injuries ourselves probably know that one of the downfalls of knee reconstruction can oftentimes be arthritis. The cause of this arthritis is due to the fact that when reconstructing the torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) or Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL), the surgeon must also cut away torn meniscal tissue. This torn meniscal tissue (meniscus) is the cartilage found in the knee joint that prevents bone on bone contact. As the meniscus is cut away in surgery, there becomes more opportunity for bone on bone contact – bone on bone contact results in arthritis.

One of the best things that you can do after a knee surgery where there was also meniscus damage is to start a supplement program. Three supplements that are extremely helpful in fighting arthritis are Omega 3′s, Glucosamine and Chondritin. I’m sure there are others out there, but these 3 supplements have been proven to help joint mobility. Here are some great supplement options for your dog following knee surgery.

Bookmark and Share:

The Best Supplements for Dogs with Knee & Hip Problems

Kenneth — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:57:20 +0000

Treating dogs that have knee and hip problems can be very costly. Prescription medications aren’t always available for our pets due to cost, trouble getting a prescription written by a vet, and many times we don’t even know that particular prescription medications are available unless our veterinarian specifically recommends them. As humans, we use supplements all the time to treat different symptoms we may have, whether it be melatonin which helps us regulate our sleep cycles, or something like creatine which helps our body build muscle by supplying more energy to our muscles.

Here is a list of supplements that I’ve used and/or had recommended to me by friends, family and readers of this site. If you have any suggestions that aren’t included on this list, please add it into the comments below.

Nupro Joint Support for Dogs
This product is great because it contains both Glucosamine and MSM, both help with joint stiffness, and MSM has been shown to help with inflammation and some studies have showed it to reduce pain.
Cosequin DS Anti-Inflammatory
Cosequin can be beneficial for dogs that have either knee or hip problems, or even both. Cosequin is known as an anti-inflammatory and many surgeons recommend that a dogs take this daily after knee surgery. Cosequin has manyy benefits and is recommended for any dogs with inflammation or joint pain. A 4-6 week period should typically be enough time for the owner to tell if there is an improvement in mobility.
Joint Treats® (60 Soft Chews)
Healthy and beneficial for dogs of all ages. Can be used as treats or as daily supplements. I’ve heard of people using these supplements for dogs with hip dysplasia. These add the benefit of being considered a “treat”.
Salmon Oil
Salmon oil can help with joint mobility in canine knees and hips, and has been shown to have healthy effects on dogs coats as well.
Flax Seed Oil
Flax seed oil has been personally recommended to me by 2 different veterinarians to help us with our dogs skin during summertime. One of the main benefits of adding flax seed oil and other types of oils as a supplement is that it will help with the dogs skin and coat.
Traumeel Gel – 50gm Tube
Traumeel is an external analgesic that is an anti-inflammatory. It’s a cream or rub that addresses inflammation and is commonly used in dogs, cats and horses. I haven’t personally used this product, but it has come highly recommended by many of our readers.
ARTHROPLEX for Canines (180 Capsules)
Arthroplex serves multiple purposes, all of which will benefit dogs with knee problems, hip problems or arthritis. Arthroplex capsules contain Glucosamine Sulfate (225 mg), Green-Lipid Mussels (90 mg), DL-Phenylalanine (75mg), Boswellia Serrata Extract (35 mg), Bromelain (35 mg), Vitamin C (100 mg).

If you have any other product suggestions, supplements or otherwise, let me know and we’ll post them on here as well.

Photo by aluzano.

Bookmark and Share:

CCL Knee Surgery Recovery – Keeping an Active Dog Inactive

Kenneth — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 06:42:24 +0000

This is one of the questions that I receive the most – “I have a very active dog, how do I keep him/her inactive during the recovery process”. To be honest, there is not a simple answer. Active dogs are like active people, they get stir crazy when they’re confined to a space for a prolonged period of time. I’m one of those types of people, so I can definitely relate and totally understand what our dogs may be going through during the recovery process.

In talking with our veterinarian, and after going through this experience first hand, I can tell you that trying to keep an active dog inactive is not an easy task. There are basically 3 options that you have which can be used together or independently of one another.

Cage / Pen
Restricting a dog who usually has free reign in the house or in the backyard is difficult, but the thing you have to keep in mind is that it is entirely for the good of the dog. The pen allows you to restrict your pets movement; if there is not enough space to walk/run around, your dog will most likely just lay down (hopefully). Our dog had a hard time adjusting to being in penned up, so we ended up using sedatives.
Sedatives / Sedation
We had a very hard time accepting this method, but when it comes down to it, movement and activity can cause your dog to re-injure its knee or damage the work that was done during the CCL surgery. Our veterinarian subscribed sedatives to us, but we were reluctant to use them at first. After the first day and a half of whining and standing at the door of the pen, we decided to start using the prescribed sedatives and it was the best thing that happened, for us and our dog.
Diet Restriction
We used diet restriction for 2 reasons. Firstly, our dog was overweight and that was a large part of the reason that she tore her CCL in the first place so the diet restriction helped to serve as a weight loss “tool”. Secondly, consuming less food will result in less energy, so your dog will more than likely be less active. Try it sometime, eat 25% less calories one day than you normally would, chances are that you’ll feel a bit lethargic.

When it comes down to it, none of these options are ideal, but when all is said and done, they do help to keep the dog from re-injuring itself after surgery, and they can also help to recover faster.

The following items don’t necessarily help keep an active dog inactive, but they can help contribute to joint health which in-turn will help your dog once it begins its “rehab” and gets to get back moving:

Bookmark and Share:

The Day of the Surgery – Dropping Off and Picking Up Your Dog

Kenneth — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:21:02 +0000

The day of the surgery can be very hard on both the dog and on the owner. Most of us have very close relationships with our dogs and hate to see them in pain. It is very important however to keep a positive attitude and not to let your dog see any worry in your face or actions. Dogs are very perceptive in picking up the energy of their owners, so if you have an energy about you that presents worry or fear, this will likely have a negative effect on the dog.

It’s also important to try to keep everything as routine as possible, though this may be hard, it is important to try to stay within your normal schedule. One area that comes to mind that is impossible to stay normal with is feeding. Most of the time prior to surgery, the vet will ask you not to feed your dog for at least 8 hours before the scheduled surgery, this is to prevent the dog from vomiting while under anesthesia.

After dropping your dog off for knee surgery, take the day to go home and prepare your house. After most CCL surgeries, the doctor will suggest 2-4 months of no activity, or highly restricted activity. Setup pen, crate or kennel that your dog will stay in, try to make this in an area where the dog will be the most comfortable an where you and your family tend to hang out and/or congregate – the kitchen or the family room is usually a good option. If your dog is a puppy or very playful, you’ll want to make sure that all toys are picked up and hidden as it would be torture to be stuck in a cage looking out at your favorite toy. If you have more than one dog, make sure that your other dogs are not able to disturb or rile up your dog that is recovering from knee surgery.

Picking up your dog is obviously going to be exciting, but at the same time, it is very hard to see your buddy with a shaved back leg and hind quarter and a large bandage wrapping the leg. Move slowly with your dog and make sure that he/she is comfortable in the car before driving home.

When picking up

Bookmark and Share:

The Day(s) Before Surgery – Preparation and What to Expect – Dog Surgery Checklist

The Rescued Poopers – Stories of Dogs Rescued from Abandonment/Abuse/Neglect

Kenneth — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:54:10 +0000

If you’ve got a story about a rescued dog, stop by “The Rescued Pooper” to share your story.

The Rescued Pooper is a support group for dogs that have been rescued and dogs that are currently looking for a new home. Our goal is to tell the story of each poop saved from abandonment, abuse, or neglect.

Bookmark and Share:

No related posts.

Caring for Your Injured Pet Around the Holidays

Kenneth — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:28:18 +0000

The Holidays are a very busy time of year, for us, and for our pets. Many of us will tend to have people over to visit during The Holidays, and just like us, our pets also get excited to see new people. Whether you are preparing for, recovering from, or trying to conservatively manage a torn/ruptured cranial cruciate ligament, it is important to think of your pet first and foremost before having any house guests. While it is important that you make your guests comfortable, it is imperative that you make your dog comfortable and make sure that he/she isn’t put in any situations that could further injure the knee (pre-op) or re-injure it (post-op). Here are some simple guidelines that might help you in preparing your home and dog for holiday visitors.

Make sure that your dog is restricted. Most dogs love to greet guests when they come in the door, and many dogs get excited and stand on their hind legs – DO NOT even put your dog in a situation where this could happen. Keep your dog in a pen. Depending on your situation, you may want to:
1. Put your dog in another room, away from all company and activity.
2. Put your dog in a crate in a location where he/she can see and hear most of the activity that is going on in the house. This will help keep the dogs spirits up.
If your dog is penned up, make sure that your guests know that he/she is injured and not to rile him/her up.
If your dog is penned up, ask your guests to go visit with and pet him/her. Dogs love company, just like we do.
We don’t feed our dogs from the table, nor do we encourage it, but we do make exceptions when our dog is crated up and unable to interact. Remember, dogs have a great sense of smell, so just imagine how much they want some of that turkey and gravy!

Hopefully these small tips help you and your pet make it through the busy holiday season!

Photo by turtlemom4bacon

Bookmark and Share:

The Use of Supplements for Conservative Management Rather Than Medications

Kenneth — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:15:07 +0000

Dog knee injuries are a tough issue to deal with, as we all want the best for our dog, but when it comes to dog knee surgery, not everyone can afford it. We all want the best for our pets, however the truth of the matter is that dog knee surgery is very expensive, and unless you have the money or a way to finance it, the surgical route will not always be an option.

One of the questions that I get asked most frequently (through email, and comments) is, “Are there any non-surgical options to repair a torn ACL/CCL?”

The direct answer is NO, because unlike muscle pulls and sprains, a torn ligament can’t be repaired without surgery. As the title of this post suggests, we will be looking into “management” options for dealing with a torn cranial cruciate ligament when surgery isn’t opted for, or just isn’t an option due to cost or other hardships.

The key part in managing a non-surgically repaired CCL is being “conservative”, meaning the dog should cut back drastically on activity, and limited and restricted when alone, because when dogs aren’t being watched, many of them will find a reason to run around, or jump and bark at things. If you think that you’ll be able to restrict your dogs activity level, then conservative management may be an option for you, and the use of supplements can definitely help.

Choosing a Supplement
When you’re trying to pick a supplement for your dog, you’re obviously going to want the best. If you’re like me, you’ll research everything before trying one, so hopefully this short list will help you out. These are supplements that we recommend based on our use of it and/or the use of other products by the same manufacturer.

One of the biggest problems with a torn knee ligament is inflammation, swelling and stiffness. These products aim to help with that.

Nupro Joint Support for Dogs (Silver)
This product is great because it contains both Glucosamine and MSM, both help with joint stiffness, and MSM has been shown to help with inflammation and some studies have showed it to reduce pain.
Cosequin DS Anti-Inflammatory
Cosequin is known as an anti-inflammatory and many surgeons recommend that a dogs take this daily after knee surgery. Cosequin has manyy benefits and is recommended for any dogs with inflammation or joint pain. A 4-6 week period should typically be enough time for the owner to tell if there is an improvement in mobility.
Joint Treats® (60 Soft Chews)
Healthy and beneficial for dogs of all ages. Can be used as treats or as daily supplements. I’ve heard of people using these supplements for dogs with hip dysplasia.

The above supplements are two of the better ones that we have found. There are also some other options in terms of oils, such as Salmon Oil, Flax Seed Oil and even Olive Oil. One of the main benefits of adding these types of oils as a supplement is that it will help with the dogs skin and coat.

If you’re looking to try conservative management as a treatment option, the above supplements should definitely help with mobility, range of motion and possibly inflammation. If you’ve used these products, or others, please let us know how they worked for you!

Update

I was just made aware of another product by one of our members. It isn’t necessarily a supplement, but rather an anti-inflammatory analgesic. Try out Traumeel Gel – 50gm Tube. It’s a cream or rub that addresses inflammation and is commonly used in dogs, cats and horses.

Update 2

ARTHROPLEX for Canines (180 Capsules) was just recommended by one of our readers. Each Arthroplex capsule contains Glucosamine Sulfate (225 mg), Green-Lipid Mussels (90 mg), DL-Phenylalanine (75mg), Boswellia Serrata Extract (35 mg), Bromelain (35 mg), Vitamin C (100 mg).

If you have any other product suggestions, supplements or otherwise, let me know and we’ll post them on here as well.

Bookmark and Share: