SubscribeKnee Ligament and Knee Joint Repair Options for Labrador Retrievers
19 August 2008
18 Comments
Whether you have a black lab, yellow lab or a chocolate lab, you will typically be looking at 1 of 2 knee repair procedures for larger dogs – TPLO or TTA surgery to repair the torn or ruptured cranial cruciate ligament in your dogs knee. The traditional technique (extracapsular technique) typically isn’t used in large breed dogs, such as Black Labrador Retrievers, Yellow Labrador Retrievers or Chocolate Labrador Retrievers due to the added stress on the joint from the extra weight of the dog.
Whichever surgical option you choose to go with, make sure that as the dog owner, you do your due diligence to learn which option will be the best for your particular circumstances.
- Read as much information as you can on each type of surgery, and try to talk with people who have had the same surgery. Compare your dogs activity level with the others.
- Consult your veterinarian and make sure you fully understand the options available. Ask why (why not) he/she is recommending certain options and not others.
- Be prepared to keep your dog confined. Activity levels need to be drastically cut down, and as we all know, Labrador Retrievers are generally very active dogs. Keeping the dog inactive will be crucial to the recovery process.
Image by OakleyOriginals.
Related Posts
- Surgical Options for Torn/Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligament (Cranial Crucial Ligament)
- TPLO vs. TTA vs. Lateral Fabellar Traditional Technique – Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair
- Cost of Dog Knee Surgery – Are There Options to Reduce the Cost?
- TPLO – Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy – Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair
- Cost of TPLO Surgery – Cost to Repair Torn Cruciate Ligament in Dogs
So, our black lab just starting limping one day, our primary care vet is sending us on to a surgeon. What happens if you don’t repair the anterior cranial cruciate ligament?
i have a 10 month old lab puppy with a torn ACL in her right rear leg…she is 63 lbs and growing..will these surgeries work on a lab pup 10 months old????
Hi Tom,
I’m no expert, but as far as I know, these are the most common procedures to repair torn ligaments in dog stifle joints. I’d recommend talking to your vet, and maybe even get a second opinion, but I’m assuming one of the surgeries you find on this site will be your only option. And since your dog is only 10 months old, the hardest part of the whole process will be keeping the dog confined for long periods of time.
Best of luck, and I wish you and your dog a happy, healthy recovery.
Hi Connie,
We have a friend who has a 3 year old yellow lab and they opted not to have the ligament repaired. The dog can no longer run and play, and in my opinion, has a very poor quality of life. It’s really sad to see a dog that used to be healthy and active turn into a “couch potato”.
If you elect not to have the surgery, you should REALLY make sure you watch the dogs weight. The less weight they have on the joint the better.
Anyone considering a metal implant should read this book by Jonathan Black:
Biological Performance of Materials
You can preview some pages – specifically pg. 265, section 13.5 where it discusses implants. (thank-you Andria & Silver for the ref.)
Dr. Jack Miller, DVM in Charlotte, NC, did the “fishing line” type acl surgery on the hind leg of my 102# black lab in 02. It is now 4 yrs. later and my boy has had only success. In the proc., the Dr. did 2 lateral and 1 medial attachments for strength. I can’t imagine putting that metal in him. Also, Dr. Miller certifies hips for breeders on a regular basis. He has done many of these surgeries & I highly recommend him. Also, key is to get the weight down as mentioned earlier – really that is critical to any dog’s overall health.
And before there were any surgeries for this condition, a dog would (should) have to rest his leg and slowly the scar tissue would form – just as it would on any surgery as well.
Hello, My dog has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cranial cruciate ligament. She is only 4 years old and about 40 lbs. He wants to perform TPLO repair on her but i am worried from what i have been reading that alot of dogs form arthritis in the leg and their quality of live is diminished. Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had this procdure done on their younger dog and had many good years of active life after it?
Thanks!
Hi Kristen -
I’m sorry I didn’t see your comment sooner. I’d ask around a bit if I were you. Our dog was 60lbs at the time she tore her CCL (she was a bit overweight) and the doctor did the traditional surgery with the nylon cord. She is now 8 years old, weighs 45lbs, and most importantly is more mobile and more energetic than ever. She runs all over and plays with our 3 year old “puppy”.
Best of luck to you and your dog.
To answer a question about what will happen if you do nothing for your dog that has a cruciate ligament tear, the dog will continue to limp, and not ever want or be able to put weight on it. Also, more importantly, the knee joint will rub on the lower joint as the knee joints slides laterally thus causing wearing away of the cartilage. That is how I understood the vet when this happened to my dog. We now are considering how we will pay for surgery.
I thank the person at this site for giving some idea of the costs involved in repairing a cruciate ligament tear. I am very depressed now,even more so than the sadness I felt when this terrible thing happened to my dog.
lo –
Stay positive, with surgery and treatment, most dogs can get back to a comfortable lifestyle, and many can go back to being active when the surgery and recovery are paired with a good diet and weight management program.
Think good thoughts!
My 7yr old chocolate lab is a giant. He’s 160 lbs. Not overweight, just a massive dog. He’s had an issue with his right rear knee (Loose lateral ligaments)for a year and yesterday came up lame. Rushed him to the emergency vet, after X-rays, determined he had injured the left knee bearing all his weight on the other leg. His hips are great, his back is good, his muscles are strong. They didn’t know if it was a meniscus tear or ACC. Recommended that I take him to a surgery center. My concern is rehab. I cannot lift him if he has both knees done. Are there options for owners of giant dogs during surgical rehab?
Hi Patty -
Sorry to hear about your dog, and that is a really great question. I never had even thought about the rehab procedure (1) for large dogs, and (2) for dogs that have both knees done at the same time.
I’d like to think there are options, walking slings or dog wheelchairs or something that would allow them to get around a little bit, but I’m really not sure.
I wish you the best of luck and I hope that you’ll revisit our site to share your story. I’m really curious to what the vet tells you.
Take care.
OK, my dog Sadie broke her ACL while on a great duck hunt last weekend. She retrieved my limit of birds althought she came up limping seriously halfway thru the hunt. She’s almost 8, has a history of being very stiff and sore after hunts, I give her rymidal, and she loves to hunt. From what I’ve been reading, it sounds like I need to do the surgery not only to get her back in health but to also improve her life and not degrade her cartilage any further or overstress her other leg. $3000 is the vets price for a TPLO. I guess I’m looking for some reassurance that is the right thing to do or not. Thanks,
Joe
Hi Joe -
That cost seems to be inline with typical CCL repair costs. If you’d like to hunt with your dog again, the surgery is almost a necessity, though at 8 years of age, how many years of hunting are left?
Our dog used to get very sore and stiff after playing at the beach for a couple hours, we now limit her time at the beach as we rarely take her anymore. Hard, because she loves the beach, but its best for her.
My 2 year old Lab has been limping around for nearly 3 weeks before we brought her to the vet. When there, the vet instantly suggested Surgery after taking x-rays of her knee( which doesn’t show anything)but suggested it MAY BE a ligament torn. but they’re weren’t 100% sure. so now after 2 weeks, she’s still limping around with no change. I am wondering exactely how long should we go before we even think about doing surgery???
Hi, I have a 50 lb. Lab/ mix. Back in September, she was limping after a walk. We brought her in the next day and the vet recommended conserv. management for a month. we didn’t let her do anything (go up stairs, cut her food back, run, ect.) After that, she seemed to get a little better. After consulting with the surgeon, he thought she might have a partial tear or stretched ACL and recommended surgery. 3 weeks later, we bring her in the day of surgery, the surgeon did some pre-tests, took x-rays and told us he didnt’ want to do the surgery because she was improving and stable. Well, in Feb. we slowly started to let her do more but I noticed some popping and clicking. I called the vet and she recommended bringing her in, but my husband thought she was still the same and didn’t want to. Well, this week, we noticed she must have done something, because she has a very slow walk/odd gait, she lays down more, she sits to the side, and will not go up the stairs at all! Did I mention I am also due with twin girls soon (I am 32 weeks)! I am so upset with this surgeon, I even asked him back in October when we were going to do the surgery if he could just do exploritory surgery to see what was for sure going on. I feel as though we missed our window of opportunity to help her and get her better. I have a feeling that she will have the fishing line surgery done. Can anyone who has had this, tell me how their dog did after the surgery, what to expect, what they did as far as pottying, and how much confinement, as well as rehab? I am beyond upset right now!!!
Hi,
I own a 4 yr old American Bulldog named Nixon. Nixon weighs 113 lbs. He isn’t overweight and is quite solid.
We’ve recently noticed his back legs don’t really bend when he walks. He kind of “trots” versus walks. Sometimes, we’ll also hear his feet drag. Not often but enough for us to notice it.
Our OB trainer suggested we give him OTC vitamins for joint/hip. Should I take him to the vet for a check-up or continue to watch him?
Oh – he doesn’t seem to be in any pain. He bends his legs when he sits and lays down and will let me bend his legs. I get no response.
Thanks,
Lea
Hi Lea -
You could definitely try some OTC vitamins/supplements. I’ve heard (and had) great results with those. However, consulting your veterinarian for a professional opinion would not hurt – you may want to start there.
We’ve posted a couple articles about supplements that we’ve used and that our readers have recommended. Try this one: Supplements for Dogs with Knee & Hip Problems
Best of luck, let us know what you end up doing!
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