SubscribeTightrope Surgery in the Treatment of a Dogs Torn Cranial Cruciate Ligament
In reading this blog, you’ve probably come familiar with the 3 main types of surgeries used to treat a torn or ruptured cranial cruciate ligament in a dogs stifle joint. The problem with these 3 main types of surgeries is that they are fairly invasive, large incisions, bone cutting, etc. This may soon be a thing of the past with some of the advancements in medicine as vets and doctors are now using techniques from human surgeries. This new surgical method, called Tightrope CCL Surgery is far less invasive in that it is performed through small incisions and small holes drilled in the bone. A recent University of Missouri press release details this new procedure.
Technique Used in Human Ankle Injuries Modified to Treat Dogs’ Knees
MU veterinary clinician-scientist develops a minimally invasive method to treat torn ligaments
June 16, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A common sports injury in human knees is even more common in dogs. Each year, more than one million dogs suffer from cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficiency, which is comparable to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in humans. The common method of treatment by many veterinary surgeons involves cutting the tibia bone to stabilize the CCL-deficient knee in these dogs. Now, a new minimally invasive technique with less severe complications than previous methods has been developed by a University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine researcher.
Unlike humans, CCL injuries in dogs typically do not occur because of a single trauma to the knee but are the result of a degenerative process that leads to early and progressive arthritis. For this reason, and the unique biomechanics of the canine knee, techniques used to repair the injury in humans do not work well for dogs. The new technique, known as Tightrope CCL, is modified from a technique used in human ankles and allows placement of a device that stabilizes the CCL-deficient knee through bone tunnels drilled using very small incisions. MU veterinarian James Cook worked with Arthrex Inc. from Naples, Fla., to develop and test the Tightrope device for dogs.
“Other current techniques require major surgery that involve cutting the bone, which can potentially lead to severe complications, such as fracture, implant failure and damage to the joint,” said Cook, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery and the William C. Allen Endowed Professor for Orthopedic Research. “This new technique is minimally invasive, relatively easy to perform and cost effective compared to other techniques. The dogs in the preliminary trial study experienced fewer and less severe complications with outcomes that were equal to or better than those seen with the bone-cutting technique.”
Cruciate ligament tears are five times more common in dogs than humans and cost U.S. pet-owners more than $1.3 billion each year. The new technique is not for every dog. Because surgeons must be able to drill tunnels in the bone, dogs must weigh at least 40 pounds for the Tightrope CCL method to be feasible. In addition, dogs that cannot follow a physical rehabilitation protocol after surgery and dogs with limb deformities are not candidates for this technique. The 10- to 12-week rehabilitation period is very important for any surgical technique for CCL deficiency in order to optimize successful return to pain-free function and reduce complications, Cook said.
“The times the Tightrope CCL technique has failed are when owners did not give their dogs the full rehabilitation period and let their dogs run, play or traumatize the joint before the knees were ready,” Cook said. “A successful operation is dependent on postoperative care so that the dog can heal well and build muscle for long term function. The Tightrope CCL technique is designed to allow this to happen with less surgery and less risk of a major problem arising, and so far, it has been successful.”
The original article can be viewed here.
If any of you readers have had any experience with tightrope surgery, we’d love to hear about it in the comments. It’s still a relatively new procedure, so there really isn’t too much information available on it yet, and there seem to be even fewer stories from our readers (unfortunately). As I learn and hear more from our users, I’ll add new posts and updates about the applications of tightrope surgery, the costs of tightrope surgery and the recovery and rehab procedure involved with tightrope surgeries.
Related Posts
- Surgical Options for Torn/Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligament (Cranial Crucial Ligament)
- Diagnosing a Torn/Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligament in Dogs
- 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
- Conservative Management as a Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) Treatment Option
[...] Surgery (Tight Rope Surgery) (Updated June, 2009) Tightrope surgery is a very new procedure that is based on a similar procedure performed in human ankles. It is far [...]
[...] TightRope [...]
Hello. My 6 year old malamute is scheduled for Tightrope surgery this coming Wednesday. I am curious about any tips and advice for the recovery period, I assume it won’t be that easy. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
JH
Hi Jesse -
Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of too many people who have had the tightrope surgery performed on their dogs being that it is still a relatively new procedure compared to the others available.
I’d love to hear updates from you as I’m sure many of our readers would as well.
Best of luck, and I hope that you’ll keep us posted.
Thanks!
Hi Kenneth,
Thanks for responding. I would assume that the tightrope recovery is similar to that of the Lateral Fabellar Technique and TPLO, albeit not as long as of a recovery period for the TPLO. It is my understanding that the TTA is more or less an improved upon LFT procedure.
I am trying to figure out what my best options are for keeping the dog off its feet during the recovery period. How to handle when the dog needs to “go outside”, how much time should the dog literally be of it’s feet, should I use a crate, etc…
Thanks again.
Jesse,
How much are they charging you for the Tightrope surgery? We cannot afford the TPLO surgery for our lab mix and I’m looking at this as an alternative option.
Kim
Kim,
They quoted it between $2,800-$3,500. I’m picking him up tomorrow (the surgery went well) and I’ll let you know what the final cost is. Keep in mind though I went with a board certified surgeon so I know it is a bit more. This seemed to make the most sense, especially with a relatively new procedure like the tightrope.
Jesse
I wanted to let everyone know our tightrope surgery has so far been a sucess. Out the door, including meds it has cost about $3,300.
The recovery has proven to be difficult, mostly to keep him from running and jumping around. The first few days after the surgery he didn’t use the leg at all but now, 7 days later, it seems to feel better and is being used with full weight to walk around. My goal is to keep this to a minimum which hasn’t proven to be easy.
I’ll follow up again in a few weeks but so far so good.
Jesse
Glad to hear it’s going so well! We have ours scheduled for next Wednesday. I will be glad to get it over and get her on the mend!
[...] Tightrope CCL – new type of surgery, seems like the best choice but don’t know where to get it done as of right now, it seems the costs is between the Extracapsular and TTA. [...]
My very active 100 lb Newfoundland Golden Retriever mix had tightrope surgery in Jan 2009. She experienced several complications. The rope slipped and she had to have a second surgery. After that setback, her kneecap went out of place and she had to have a third surgery. During the 3d surgery, she had a bonespur and bone fragment removed. Shortly after the 3d surgery, she tore the other acl. It is 12/2009 and she holds up the leg that had the surgery. She will use the leg with the torn acl to limp around. My surgeon moved to Florida. I plan to take her to my vet this weekend for an xray and an exam.
My 64 lb. 7 yr old boxer had tightrope surgery Thanksgiving week 2009. She just had her 8 week checkup and the surgeon gave her a clean bill of health. We did keep her lying down except for potty breaks for 8 weeks. It was a chore, but we knew we had to do it. The surgeon said we can now gradually introduce her to her normal routine. She is thrilled that she can move about, but overexcited about being “normal” again, so we are keeping some restrictions on her for another 2 – 4 weeks. The surgeon said there should be no after effects. We are thrilled with the results!
Hello guys. Bonnie my golden retriever mix (70 lbs) is set for tightrope surgery next wed feb 24th. We went trough two different surgeons for opinions and they all recommended the external capsular surgery which is the traditional way to go. I however wanted to do research on options. I came accross tightrope and found a certified vet in Illinois that has had success. We decided to do tightrope as it is less invasive and according to all the research I’ve done it has less complications than the other methods. Bonnie is a very active dog and she completely ruptured her ligaments and she is only walking on 3 legs. Our other dog is feeling the stress as we limit Bonnie’s mobility. Overall I also read that recovery time with tightrope surgery is not as long as with other methods. I hope it works out as it breaks my heart seeing her hopping around unable to play. I will keep you all posted.
Hi Teresa -
Thank you for the update on your dog Bonnie. Please keep us posted on the surgery and the recovery. I get many questions on the best type of surgery, and I don’t personally know anyone who has gone through the tightrope procedure yet, though it sounds like a great option (and one that will be used more and more).
If you think of us, please let us know about Bonnie’s progress after surgery.
Thank you, and best of luck!
My 5 and 1/2 year old Doberman has had this tight rope surgery just 5 weeks ago after a complete rupture of his cruciate jumping off the sofa chasing his friend the cat. The worst part was getting him out of the car the night of surgery but within 2 days he’d mastered the art of walking in three legs and was even trying to put his leg to the floor. The only mistake was his pain relief. I’d followed the surgeon’s instruction but he actually needed more pain relief by the third day when his swelling was at the maximum. He was taking Tramadol and Myloxidin which has now been decreased although he is still taking them. From then on he’s been making a steady recovery. He can now stand on that leg to pee and he is on 15 minute walks 3 times a day. This has increased from 5 minutes, 3 times a day in the first week. He also has to be on a lead for toilet breaks in the garden. (although he did escape once but came back quickly and calmly for half a sausage.) Luckily he’s a very calm dog but I am sleeping downstairs with him for the next 4 months at least but that’s just us! I have to work on his weight as because of a recent diagnosis of Hypo thyroidism that has been hard to control. Thankfully he loves brocolli, brussell sprouts and apples chopped and put into Kongs for treats but he still has his sausage for his pills.
The operation cost £4500 that also included X-rays for both Knees and Hips and a Von Willibrands test as he’s a Dobermann and we didn’t need any nasty surprises! I hope he continues to make good progress. He has regular update checks included in that price and might need hydo therapy but we’ll see. He’s not keen on water, unless its a warm shower. Hope this helps anyone having to go through this. Just do exactly what you vet advises and take it slowly as they’re so precious.
Hi Jan -
Good luck with the recovery. Please keep us posted as to the recovery, and if you’d be interested, I’d love for you to share your story on our site. We don’t yet have any full tightrope surgery and/or tightrope recovery stories.
Best of luck, and let us know how it all turns out.
Take care.
I’ll keep you posted Kenneth. Please do share this info. I hope others find it useful.
Take care.
I’m curious about the weight of your doberman Jan. I have a Akita mix who did something to her knee, I know something’s torn we just don’t know what yet and I’m waiting for an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon. She weighs close to 100 pounds and def needs to lose weight, this is probably what caused her tear even though she only needs to lose about 10 pounds. Anyways, I’m researching the different surgeries and since the traditional one isn’t an option for her size I’m curious if this one is an option for bigger dogs. I’m not a fan of putting foreign objects in her but the less invasive it is the better. How large is the incision? how long did the surgery take? I appreciate any help you guys can give me.
I want the best for my little girl and want her on the road to recovery as quickly as possible 
I have 5 year old Boxer that has a torn cranial crutiate and this is the first I have heard of tight rope surgery. Does anyone know if it is available in New England
Hello Everyone,
I am happy to report that Bonnie’s surgery went great. The incision was about 7 inches. She had surgery on Wed 2/24 and today she started putting weight on the leg. The toughest day was definitely the first one because she was completely out of it and was not able to even get up. My husband and I needed to hoist her up a towel. However, she has been recovering extremely well. The vet was even surprised that she is doing this well this qucikly. I am so happy overall with the surgery and glad we went with tightrope.
Hi Tam,
My Doberman weighed 123 pounds at the time of surgery. His surgery lasted 1 and half hours with x-rays etc. The scar is about 5 inches long at the front of his knee and has healed well. He only had large plaster dressing on for 3 days.
We have had a very painful set back associated really with his weight. His weight has increase quite a bit over the last 2 years as he has a thyroid problem which we’re just getting his levels correct now. He had just been increased to 20 minute walks 3 times day. After 3 days he developed pain when getting up and down. I took him back to the surgeon but it wasn’t his knee surgery that was the problem but the hip above it. He has strained it exercising. He’s on 5 Tramadol twice a day and 40 mls of Myloxidin and a drastic weight reducing diet of 100grams of dried food with mixed raw veg (Brocolli, celery, carrots, cucumber and half and apple.) NO Treats!!! Its hard. He has 20 pounds to loose to get down to the correct weight for Dobermans here in the UK. I am so upset as he is still in pain but the surgeon says the weight reduction and pain management will work but it will take a couple of weeks to settle.
You say your Akita is 100 pounds. Is that the correct weight for her? If not start the diet. I have to say apart from this set back the knee surgery seems fine. Hope that helps and good luck. xx
Hi again Tam,
If you can get this link it shows you the procedure. I am sure my surgeon mentioned putting in 2 tightropes to form a figure of eight under the joint. I’ll confirm that on the 15th March when we go back but it seems that might be something he does for bigger dogs to support their weight as well as another dog of equal size landing on them on play. His view was it’s less invasive than the traditional approach which sounded awful. To much bone cutting for me!
Good luck
Jan xx
http://www.arthrexvetsystems.com/de/produkte/upload/TightRope-CCL-Guide-VLT0004A-compressed.pdf
Hi Guys,
I’ve just confirmed with my surgeon that he doubles up on the tightrope so there actually two running side by side. My doberman has lost 9lb in weight in two weeks so only 14lbs to go. His hip has been fine for the last week and the knee seems really ok. He’s walking normally but does still stand with his weight leaning more to the other side. His muscles are coming back and we’re back to 3 x 15 minute walks after the hip problem out him back a bit. The hardest thing now is keeping the diet on track.
Hi everyone,
I have a Huskey mix who tore his knee. Local vet is talking about a surgery where they loop a suture and do drill the bone. Is this tight rope surgery far superior for price, seems haling is same- 12 weeks.
I am not sure what to do and need to find a surgeon in southwest colorado or new mexico.
any suggestions?
kelley
Hi Kelley,
I agree I think your vet is recommending tightrope surgery. If you can get it done don’t be to worried. I had a clear choice as my doberman had completey snapped his cruiate and I didn’t want him to become lame with arthritis. It seems you should not leave it to long as it does have an effect on the surrounding bone if the cruciate is broken. Your vet will show you on the Xrays whats going on. My dobermann is doing well. His score for walking is 1/10 for lameness after 8 weeks. He was 8/10 lame before surgery and luckily it was only a week from when he injured himself until surgery. Good luck I hope it goes well
Hi Everyone…
Our 95# lab is having the TR procedure done in a week. I am concerned about the recovery period and how people have kept their dogs sedetary for 8 weeks. Our dog is very active, even with his current injury. Even with leash walking, which we have been doing for about 4 weeks now, he tries to run, etc.
I’d love any suggestions on what has worked for you and your dogs!
Thank you!!
Hi Andrea -
Please keep us posted on how the tightrope surgery goes. It’s still a newer procedure so I haven’t had the chance to speak to very many people who have had it done. From everything I’ve heard and read about it, there’s nothing but positives when compared to other surgical options.
In regards to keeping your active dog inactive… that’s the tough part. We ended up keeping ours in a pen for most of the time, and only letting her out to use the bathroom. No walks! This was hard (very hard) but well worth it in the end, because now she’s as good as new!
Best of luck, and again, please keep us posted!
Thanks Kenneth!
Did you use a cage type pen? My husband and I are debating between a slightly bigger cage (42″), or a crate. I want the cage since he is a big dog, and he is a side sleeper (all legs stretched out). Since he’ll be in it so long, I want him to at least be as comfortable as possible…..my husband thinks it still gives him too much room…
I will definitely update once we are thru it!
Hi Andrea,
My doberman is 10 weeks post surgery at the moment and although had a bit of a set back with a painful hip, due to his weight has recovered and lost 14lbs in three weeks. I didn’t use a crate but I think the Tramadol he was taking for pain kept him quiet.(Although he needed quite a dose). He was able to go for 5 minute walks 3 times a day by the 3rd day after surgery even though his ankle was its most sollen on that day. He still wondered around the house though and hopped on to his sofa after a few days. As I’ve camped downstairs since his surgery (As stairs are banned for a further 6 weeks. So he can lie out on his puffy quilt next to me and sleeps all night. He’s been really calm and now even waits to have his collar put on for toilet trips to the garden where as before he’d be off as soon as the door opened. I have to say he’s been more bouncey as he’s lost weight but I’m able to constantly monitor him as we’re together 24/7. Although he walks now for 25 minutes 3 times a day he does kick his leg outin an involuntary movement whilst laying down but that is getting less. the trembling he had for the first few weeks has also gone. He still stands leaning more on his good leg but the vet assures me that will also past in the next few weeks. Just a note. I bought him some interactive games where you hide treats and they have to find them. It did help when he looked bored. Good luck.
Hi Andrea
Our 70 pound mastiff mix had TPLO surgery four months ago and we purchased the metal crate. We were really worried about keeping her in it because she is so excitable but she adapted to it very quickly. A couple of days before surgery we put her favourite bed in it and she would just get in. We didn’t close the door at that stage but after the surgery we did. Once she wanted it, I would fill her kong with treats and give it to her or cover her bedding with a towel and give her a meaty bone to keep her busy. The crate was always close to us so that she could see and hear us and she was quite happy. After a week or so I would tie her to a heavy piece of furniture and place her bed there but only while we were sitting around watching TV or the like.
We are half expecting a second knee to blow so we’re also investigating the Tightrope procedure but I’m in Australia and not sure if its done here.I’m anxious to hear how yours goes. Good luck!
Hi Helen
My Aussie Shepherd has completely ruptured hers and is at Veterinary Specialist Services on the Gold Coast, Australia. The vet is giving me the options this afternoon for surgery, so I hope they are up to date and can offer the tightrope surgery. Will let you know.
Hi Michaela -
Please keep us posted as to what happens with your dog and the surgery options. I’m curious to find out if the same options are available “down under”.
Thanks and best of luck to you and your dog.
Hello!
We have successfully come thru the surgery! Now we are dealing with the ‘after math’!
He did very well, and stayed at the vet for a few days for them to watch over him. He was released to us 3 days ago. Our biggest issue is not going to the bathroom. He’s only peed 2x since being home, and nothing else. We are going back to the vet this afternoon to have him checked….ugghhh – I’ll be glad to be out of the first few weeks of this!
Otherwise, he is content in his cage, and not giving us any other troubles!!
Thanks!
PS – good luck Michaela!!
Hi Andrea,
Glad to hear your Mastiff’s doing well. The time will soon pass. My Dobermann was discharged today. His surgery was in January and has done well. He’s lost about 19lb in 7 weeks which has helped. He’s now 47kgs which is about 103lb and now has a waist. Its interesting that here in the UK the surgeons do not cage dogs after surgery unless they’re really active and thats only for a few days. He’s now up to 30 minutes walk 3 times a day but still can’t go upstairs for 4 more weeks. The surgeon recommends that frisbie and ball games not be played as the tendency for the other knee to rupture seems to be increased. Would be interested in what your Guys say? He still holds it up occassionally but has been off all meds for the last 4 weeks.
Hope everything settles with your dogs tummy, its probebly the pain relief thats doing that. Take Care
Jan
Hi Andrea -
Glad to hear you made it through the surgery! The first couple weeks are the toughest, but once you get a routine and your dog adjusts, it gets easier. I think we had the same urination issues, Roxy just wasn’t eating or drinking very much as she seemed depressed from being caged.
Best of luck!
Hi Andrea
Gald your baby is home and all went well.
My vet didn’t recommend the tightrope surgery as there has been too many complications so far….so have to take his word and go with a mixture of the TPLO & Triple Tibial Osteotomy. She is booked in next Wednesday. $3.5k to $4k quote from VSS.OUCH! Has to be crated for 12weeks. Ahhhhh that is going to be fun with an over zeolous 4 yr old aussie!
Have you had any competitive Retriever Field Trial dogs do well on the TR procedure? There are many still competing with TPLO several years post op.I would rather the less invasive procedure….but I also want my dog to be able to handle the extreme training through extreme terrain.
Thanks
Hi Jay -
We haven’t yet had any stories about competitive dogs and the tightrope procedure. In fact, we haven’t had many stories at all about the tightrope procedure. If you’d care to share any of your experiences with TPLO surgery and dog competitions, we’d love to be able to share that info with our visitors.
I am in Illinois. Does anyone know where Theresa went in Illinois to have the tightrope procedure?
Hi All
Picked up my aussie last night after her TPLO (tightrope was not reccommended) and she was full of beans and feeling very comfortable after such a major surgery. Final bill $3,900 Australian. Have to take her back in 7 days for the bandages to be removed and then follow up xrays at 4 & 8 weeks.
Vet (Dr Jason Mouatt) was very pleased with the surgery so we will see come x’ray time. Found thickening in the other knee so probable that she could blow that cruciate ligament if allowed to be an outgoing aussie. So will be keeping her under control for the rest of her life. No fisbee and no ball but lots of swimming! Shall update after follow up x’rays.
Hello. I have a 9 month mix breed who just had xrays on her left back knee. The xrays showed that she had an avulsion of the tibial tuberosity, a luxating patella, and a tibia that is curved slightly, due to a past injury which injured one of her growth plates on the tibia. ($$$$$$!)The orthopedic vet said to rest her for 3 weeks to see if the avulsion of the tibial tuberosity will heal on its own. Haley is a super active dog, so I didn’t know how to keep her quiet. She also pulls when on a leash and is a bit active in the car.I bought her an “Easy Rider” Car Harness. I found out, to my suprise that I could control her pulling. I leave it on in the house so that when she gets “crazy” I just grab the handle of the harness and immediatly calm her down. I’m not sure how this will work on other dogs but it’s worth a try. Haley is 40 lbs.
Hi Nancy -
Thanks for the tip! You “grab the handle”??? Sounds like you’ve turned your dog into carry on luggage!
Thanks again for your post!
The harness has a webbed handle that the seat belt slips through. When you walk your dog that “handle” gives you much more leverage. The “luggage” theory sounds just about right though.
Hi everyone
Our Mastiff X is 9 years old (but thinks hse is 2) so when TPLO surgery was suggested the first question I asked was whether or not her age would be a factor. The ortho told us that she was a ‘perfect candidate’ given she was so healthy and lean and that her age was irrelevant.
5 months and 3 xrays later the bone is not healing well and she is well behind others at this stage. She is still tied up or confined most of the time with a 10 minute walk a day which seems to be her limit. Has anyone else had this problem and can anyone suggest any remedies to encourage healing? We are struggling with the fact that our energetic and spirited dog has not been able to just be a dog for so long.
Oh Helen my heart goes out to you. I don’t know if this will help but I gave my doberman a lot of boiled chicken with the stock. As he also had to loose 20lb,it worked well with the raw veg that he had in large quantities, brocoli being his favorite. In England I was encouraged to walk him quite a bit more than it seems your surgeons recommend. I think little and often seemed to work well building up the muscle that wasted away. Maybe extra calcium would also help.
Best of luck
First, I want to thank you all for sharing your stories. Yesterday, I took my 5 yr old Airedale, Sophie, to the beach. I love her so. We struggle with weight issues and I knew we needed to take it easy. Still, on her first little jog on the hard packed sand I saw that something happened and she stopped, holding her hind right leg up. Sure enough, the vet has diagnosed her with a torn, if not a ruptured, knee ligament. As some of you have also experienced, her condition and surgery options are complicated due to her weight. After a month of a new regime, she actually gained 10 lbs per her weigh-in today. She is now 135lbs! You can imagine that I am broken hearted and confused about what the best thing for her is at this point. We are now checking her thyroid for starters and I will see the ortho surgeon on Thursday. After seeing the vet today and getting some of the worst news, I immediately came home and started searching the web for info. I found this information encouraging and comforting. Thank you.
Hi All
It has been a nightmare keeping my aussie quiet…bandages off now and she is using the leg to walk on after one and half weeks post op. I have managed to knock 3kg off her by feeding her a cup of science diet r/d for breaky and a xtra large cup of cooked vegies/mince for dinner. She was 32kg before her operation and should only be about 19kg. So quite a way to go, but is managing about 1kg a week loss with no exercise and not upset with the amount she is getting. So far so good, but the follow up xrays will tell the story in 4weeks time.
Thanks Jan
I am so upset about it all. I seem to be crying all the time! We never thought we would be in this predicament 5 months down the track. She has always had fresh raw vegies and beef/roo/chicken mince so I think her diet is probably ok. We’ve now had another complication with the knee making a marked clicking/grinding sound. I’m told if she’s not lame then its probably ‘nothing’ but it’s really irking me. At the six month mark (in three weeks) the surgeon has decided to reassess her and might drill out some healthy bone from elsewhere and place it in the area where its not healing. My poor girl hasn’t seen a vet this many times in her lifetime. I’m told this is a fairly minor procedure. And so we wait.
Hi Helen,
My goodness you are having a bad time aren’t you. I have had a few moments like that when there have been set backs as its hard to see the dog you love so much struggling but try to stay positive she’ll pick up on that.
I hope this will help. My Doberman also had very loud clicking which alway got worse on the way home from our mini walks. It did stop eventually and didn’t seem to be painful although he would keep looking at his knee in confusion. A friend of mine, who also had knee op had the same clicking and his surgeon and my veternary surgeon said it was inflamation. He had the same thing with his hip when that became inflammed due to his weight while over doing it slightly with the exercise schedule but again it went after a month although he was taking an anti-inflametry and really powerful painkillers for 3 and half months. Maybe take her back to the beginning of her rehab and slowly work up again . I’m due to pick up some vitamin suppliments tomorrow from my vet that promote healthy joints etc so I’ll let you know what they are when I get them. My dobes suffering with hay fever at the moment and has really dry eyelids. He was 7 on Sunday so now being middle aged I guess we’ll have a few bad days with aches and pains but at least he doesn’t moan as much as me.
Take Care Helen and try to get enough rest yourself and then you’ll feel stronger to deal with it all.
Jan
Hi Helen,
So sorry I forgot to let you know the Vitamnins the prescibed. They are, Glycoflex. I’ll have to see if there are any benefits but my vet thinks they’re helpful. Hope things have improved.
Take Care Jan
Thanks for that Jan.
We went back to the ortho last week and while he says he is not entirely convinced of it, he thinks she may have a tear in what is left of the meniscus (he didn’t remove it all during the TPLO – just tidied it up). Apparently 1% of dogs tear it again. He was however pleased with the improvement in the healing of the bone in the last three weeks, so has said to allow her all of her normal activities and that if she has in fact torn it again we will notice an increase in the lameness. If this happens we’re back in for an arthroscopy at another $2K. Ans so we watch and wait…..
Hi Helen,
Goodness I’d be furious. Your poor girl. Surely the vet should have checked and double checked.
Maybe Hydro therapy would be helpful so that she’s doesn’t strain it when exercising. Weird that you’ve been told she can resume normal activities as I been told that we shouldn’t play frisbie etc again as the other knee is more at risk now. Its hard picking your way through all the sometimes conflicting info.
Anyway best of luck. I hope she its not torn and this is just a short set back.
Take Care
Jan
Hi Jan
Yes well I was told by many people in the industry that he is the top ortho surgeon in the country so I guess I have to take his word for it. I have to say though…his people skills are lacking – as with many human specialists.
There will be no more frisbee!:-)I don’t care what anyone says about that….nor will there be chasing of possums and jumping up at the fence in the back yard at night!
Helen
Hi Nikki,
My Doberman also had weight problems especially after knee surgery and although his food was drastically cut down to 200grams a day from 460 with loads of veg, more importantly his thyroxin was left slightly higher (by 1/2 a tablet up to 3 and 1/2 a day)which helped get the weight off faster. This has to be monitored closely because its not good for their heart but its been hard to get a good level consistanly anyway. He lost 20lb in 6 weeks. We still have 4lbs to go and the 1/2 tablet hs been taken away now so the weight loss is very slow now but still going down. Good luck
Greetings, I have an 8 year old 13 pound female Westie who suffered a torn knee CCL after being attacked by another larger dog of about 40 pounds.
She is a very active dog and I feel absolutely horrible for her being in this condition now. I know she would’ve had many healthy years ahead of her and hopefully still will with proper surgery. I want the best option for a potential full recovery. I realize she may never be 100% but I want to give her the best chance.
Can anyone please offer suggestions?
Thank you and kind regards
My dog had the TTA procedure done on her right leg 1 year ago with great results. 2 months ago, she tore her CCl in her left knee. In hearing about the tightrope procedure we decided to go with that since it is supposed to be less painful, less invasive, with quicker recovery. She had her knee repaired right away by a vet in Warren Michigan who told me over and over I will love this surgery compared to her last and it will be so much better (she will go home toe touching, minimal pain, speedy recovery). She yelped in pain for 3 days on her prescribed pain meds, didn’t even toe touch for 3+ days and now 8 weeks out, she is still limping a lot and has “laxity” in the joint that my regular vet found on a routine visit. I took her back to the surgeon and he said it doesn’t feel right and that she had some laxity at 1 month but he hoped it would strengthen with time (which he never told us about) but now he needs to “go back in”. So she’s having surgery #2 done of this “minimally invasive surgery”. I was so careful and restricted her and he said there was nothing I could’ve done differently. Any surgery can have imperfect results, just have realistic expectations and know I would never choose the tightrope surgery again.
Hi All –
I have not been on for awhile, but wanted to update.
Also – Katie – I’m sorry for your results with the tightrope, that is very unfortunate, but hope your result will not keep others from trying this procedure.
Our 95# lab had the tightrope done 10 weeks ago, and we have been very pleased with all results. Our vet had us cage him for the first 5 weeks – only out 3x a day for bathroom relief. At 5 weeks, the vet said G could be out of the cage, but only in our presence and make his bathroom walks a little longer. At 7 weeks, the vet said he no longer needed to see him every 2 weeks, and for us to call the physical therapist (we received 1 free visit with a PT with the surgery). Vet also said at 7 weeks G could return to somewhat ‘normal’ activities, but under our watch at all times.
We went to the PT this week, and he was pleased with G’s range of motion, etc at this time. Said his knee is still very tight. He gave us some more excercises to work on to work up the muscle loss – more uphill walks, and doing an obsticle course with him in the yard of stepping over things, etc. Also, advised longer walks and swimming, also wanted us to try an underwater treadmill for a few weeks – again to help build up the muscle loss from surgery and recoup.
We really could not be happier with our results from the tightrope procedure! G too….he seems to be feeling much better with a ‘good’ leg under him.
He was originally diagnosed with severe hip displaysia and because of that, both knees are bad – the one we went with on the surgery ended up having a 60% tear. So, at this point, we are going to see how he does with the ‘good’ knee before deciding on further surgery. PT also mentioned the underwater treadmill would be good for all this…
SO – as an opposite posting to Katie – I would highly recommend the surgery!! I would, however, highly stress doing your research on the surgeon and their success rates – talk to other patients of theirs that have had it done. It is critical to have someone that has alot of experience and is on the list Dr Jimi Cook keeps. You can email him at UofMissiouri – CookJL@missouri.edu.
Thanks for the support all!
My dog, Lady, an 8-year-old, 65 lb Chow Chow mix, had the TTA surgery on May 13, 2010, almost 7 weeks ago. Our regular vet does not do these surgeries, but recommended we see a board-certified veterinary orthopedic surgeon. The surgery itself cost $2100, and the pre-op x-rays, blood and urine tests came to about $650. (This was in the Boston, Massachusetts area.)
Lady tore her ligament most likely in a gradual manner. One day in February, I was out with her for a short and slowish jog. We’d gone about 3/4 of a mile and she stopped wanting to go any further and began limping. Our vet thinks the ligament tore gradually until that day when it completely gave way.
I did not take her immediately to the vet, because she’s had limping occasionally in the past which has gone away after a day or two. This time it did not go away after a week, though she did begin to bear some weight on the leg again.
Our vet diagnosed the torn CCL by doing the “drawer” movement under anesthesia. He also took x-rays. At this time, I learned that her hips are also pretty arthritic.
The surgery was booked about 6 weeks later. During this time, Lady began to bear more and more weight on the injured leg, and was back to doing walks of a mile or more. I was almost not going to do the surgery, but the fear of her tearing the other knee ligament was what made me do it after all.
After the surgery, she wimpered for about 3 days straight, but after that, was back to her old self began to put weight on the leg. I also noticed that the leg was aligned better. While it was injured, she was turning it in. Our surgeon is not of the “crate her for a month” philosophy. Although he forbid any stair walking at all, he did recommend several short daily walks pretty early on in the recovery (after a week). The surgeon did a very good job with the incision — the stitches are all hidden, and thus not a temptation to gnaw on. She does look all patchy from all the shaving, not just of the leg but additional spots for 1) IV, 2) pain med patch 3) epidural.
Lady made a fast early recovery, but now has plateaued a bit. She had a setback, I think because I took her for a fast walk too soon, and after that, I have been keeping her restricted again. I was worried maybe she destroyed the TTA, but after rest and restriction seems better again. My advice would be that if your dog seems to be doing great early on, take it easy anyway or you will prolong the recovery period.
Hello All,
My 90 lb American Bulldog/Pitt mix had the Tightrope Proceedure 3 days ago. He is 8 years old, and besides the knee injury, is in excellent health. We think he injured the knee exiting the pool several months before. We noticed a limp right after he jumped out (in-ground pool). It seemed to get better and I resumed our 2 mile/day walks. A couple months after, we could tell it was no longer healing. To the vet we went and started this journey.
One thing I would like to note, is that when it comes to recovery and outcome, it may be important to ask your vet and include in your experience how much if any at all of the meniscus of the knee is removed during surgery. Some dogs have to have this scraped out and some have had it intact. My vet stated it depends on the severity of the injury, current arthritic level, and damage already acquired to the meniscus. This can affect the dogs recovery experience. As well as if there was a partial tear or full tear, did the surgeon remove all of the CCL???
In our case, the meniscus was left intact, and the CCL was scraped and removed (was a full tear).
Our dog is doing great thus far. We picked him up the morning after surgery (central california).He came out of the kennel bearing weight and using the repaired leg. Although this should be restricted, it was a good sign. My biggest initial fear was regarding how we would manage to pick him up and get him home safely. My husband was out of town, and I am 8 months pregnant. Luckily the techs lifted him in the car and we were able to assist with a sling/sheet to get him out at home.
He is an indoor dog and quite large so we have never crated. What we did do is buy a baby/toddler “superyard” and set it up in the living room for the recovery. He is happiest when he can see me and be with me at all times. I currently am not working so this has worked in my favor due to the surgery.I was worried that he would need assistance to get up from a laying down position and being pregnant, this type of lifting would be a no-no for me. He was able and willing to get up, leash walk outside to pee, and back inside with no assistance from a sling. He is cautious with the leg but is bearing some weight on it.
He is eating fine, but I have spoiled him by feeding 1/2 his regular dry food and 1/2 rice, chicken, garlic, and veggies. The garlic will stay on the menu through recovery (8-12 weeks) due to the miracle food it is. He is taking 50 ML Tramadol twice a day, Dermaxx in the morning, Cephlexine 500 ML 2 times a day for 10 days, and 1500 ML Glucosamine (the dr recommended the brand Shift due to a study that reviled it actually had the amount in it that was stated and was absorbed quickly. this is a human brand, not veterinary brand). I have him outside to pee about 5 times a day and get about 3 good pees from him. He has yet to go #2. If he doesn’t go by tomorrow, I’m calling the vet for supplement advice. What do you give a dog?? Prune juice??? Colace???
Again, so far I can’t evaluate more than my dogs endurance (he is doing soooo well. no whining, no visible discomfort passed what the pain meds can handle, eating and drinking normally…I should mention I give him home made broth -no salt- and water mixture a couple times a day just to keep the hydration up). As far as the surgery and the surgeon, 3 days is too soon to evaluate. One thing I do know is that my surgeon was able to use internal stiches and NO STAPLES. It meant no bandage and no e-collar. He is not much of a licker and hasn’t licked the wound much. It wept for the first day and he did lick so out of precaution, we are all on anti-lick supervision duty. I understand infection is a huge risk in these surgeries. I wash the incision area twice a day with betadine. If you do this, you can’t bandage the leg until all the betadine is dry. We are bandage-free so it didn’t matter to us. Another hint is to never BLOW on the incision area if you think the betadine burns. Blowing introduces bacteria from your mouth. Use a magazine and fan away.
We have mild swelling around the ankle and knee, but not too much redness. I have done a few ROM exercises with him and he does not seem to mind. His knee thus far shows great flexibility and no limited movement. I have iced the ankle and knee a couple times. He does hate that, so I will not push it.
He has a check up in 2 weeks. At that time we will evaluate if we can start short leash walks and if we can get him in the pool to start laps. I will check back in often and update. I plan to be extra vigilant regarding the other knee and will be looking for signs of weakness from over use. The last thing we want it to have the other knee go. I do know there is a 50% chance of that but so far the vet said the other knee seems very stable.
Best to all who are enduring the TightRope surgery. All other options seemed way to invasive to me. (And to my dog LOL). Please keep posting updates on your dogs recoveries as well. Hopefully this info can be helpful to others and to vets.
Regards!!
Mrs. B
I’m looking for a vet either in the Chicago suburban area or in/near Marquette, Michigan who performs the tightrope surgery. I have a 90 lb. black lab in need of returning to his normal active lifestyle.
Thanks
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