Can you help with advice... CRUCIATE KNEE LIGAMENT

[Randi]

Hi all!

I got an e-mail from a friend of mine in London. One of her dogs, Macy has problems with her leg.

Annette has just had an eye operation, so is not up to joining PT until she can see better, so she asked me to ask PT for advice, if any of you have/had a dog been through this procedure?

"Macy has been to see a vet and was diagnosed with possible ruptured CRUCIATE KNEE LIGAMENT and is due for surgery, using a technique called TPLO (TIBIAL PLATEAU LEVELLING OSTEOTOMY) we are very worried as you can imagine, so I wonder if you know of any dog who has been through this procedure? I desperately need some feedback, also regarding vet fees, we have spend a fortune already, e.g. £208 just for a consultation with an Orthopaedic specialist and the operation will cost a lot more. We will of course do everything we can to get her leg back in shape."

Annette sent me some pictures of Macy, she is 8 years old.

Here she is:

[Seravieve]

We just had a TPLO done on Eli in January. I made a post about it in Dog Health. Link I know there's some other Pt's that had it done as well.

We were very nervous because it sounds like such a risky procedure, but it went perfectly. I'd really emphasis being comfortable with the vet who will be performing the operation. Get one who really knows what theyre doing. And of course, the vet will tell you, the operation is the easy part, as a parent you have the hardest part... keeping them calm and restrained during the healing process. =)

It's been 5 month since the operation on Eli. Just went last Saturday for a check up and he's doing AWESOME. Don't read about TPLO online.. its a bunch of horror stories! We got so freaked out.. and our vet was like I totally understand.. He had one done on his own dog as well. Its expensive I know.. was about $2,500 USD for us. But to see him so happy again, its totally worth it.

[Randi]

Thank you so much Seravieve! This just what my friend needs. She is also terrified because of the stories she read on the web.

I'm hoping she will join PT in a few days, so she can keep us updated on what's happening.

Eli looks like a big dog, too - he and the others are gorgeous!

Thanks again!

[snakemama]

When I was a vet tech, I got to assist on several TPLO surgeries. It's a long procedure, but something that is done regularly, especially with canine athletes.

From the patients I saw, every single one where the owners followed the follow-up advice did fabulously! (Keeping the dog's weight down, following the exercise schedule provided) The only dog I worked with who did NOT do well post-surgery was a dog whose owners allowed him to put on over ten pounds after the procedure!!

A very close friend of mine had a TPLO performed on his older St. Bernard two years ago, and she recovered quickly and last time I saw her was running around the backyard with her little boy.

[Freedom]

Quite common here, I know of 3 dogs who have had that surgery. If you have the dog in Agility, the risk for needing it increases. Also, these smaller ones, if they land wrong jumping off a chair, sofa or bed, they can need it.

The recovery is the hardest part. After 3 to 5 days, the dog feels great, the pain meds are working, and the dog wants to do all sorts of things it can't do for a few more weeks, lol.

[Seravieve]

Full healing time is ~6 months.. The first 8 weeks we had to keep him confined to the living room, and usually on a leash so we could keep him under control. We also crated him if we needed to leave. No stairs for 3 months. This was a big problem for us, as our bedroom is upstairs, so we moved to sleeping on the couch and floor with him.

There are THOUSANDS of stories of people having MAJOR problems from TPLO surgeries, but these are people who don't follow instructions. With this type of surgery, the dogs feel so much better in a short time that they often overdo it too soon. That is why it is so important to follow all directions post-op. Also, we saw a lot of pictures of dogs with HUGE scars all over from the surgery... not the case. Eli's scaring is SO minimal. Another thing to remember with TPLO is that the dog will try to overcompensate for the injury and often injures the other leg as well. Our vet estimates 45-65% of dogs who damage one knee will damage the other. Just something to keep in mind. Makes you really want to follow the directions post-op so you dont end up out of $5k instead of $2500.

Glad I could help! PTer's have helped me a lot, so I'm glad I can offer advice! =)

(Eli is a big dog, lol... for a Boxer. He's 70lbs now.. had him in the low 60's after his TPLO. Everyone says woof woof, thank you for the compliments!)

[MonicanHonda]

I have also heard about the reinjuring the other leg post-op... my vet said it happens more than half the time. So post-op care is definitely important.

[Randi]

snakemama, Freedom and MonicanHonda, thank you so much to you, too. My friend appreciates your advice, she sent me this:

"Thank you so much, I was so pleased to read the positive outcome on those dogs, will you thank everyone from me. When all this is over I will join Pet Talk. Yesterday just after I spoke to you I noticed that Macy was licking the side of her tummy all the time, at a closer look I saw a ca. 2 cm. raw wound that had suddenly appeared. I rang the Vet and we are due to see her today. Meanwhile Brian took a photo of it and emailed to the orthopedic vet (from the hospital where surgery was due on Monday) He rang and told us that the Surgery would have to be postponed, as he thought it to be WET ECZEMA which have to be treated with antibiotics and would take a few weeks. When we woke this morning, two more wounds had appeared - can you believe it, just as nasty as the first one. I hope it's nothing, but poor Macy is not a happy dog, even though she ate well this am."

I found a couple of pictures of Macy and their other dog, Bonzo which I took a few years ago when I visited. They're such sweet and friendly dogs.

[MonicanHonda]

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that... maybe a cone to help stop the licking?

[Randi]

That sounds like a brilliant idea! I hope they thought of that.

Annette promised to keep us posted, so I'll update when I hear from her.

Edit* Macy is back from the vet, this is what she said:

"Our Vet did confirm that it was WET ECZEMA I have now given Macy Antibiotics and crème containing steroid, poor Macy, she is so fed up and the sores are getting bigger, but the Vet said the medication would not take long to start working, hope he is right - we have to go back next Saturday."

[Randi]

Annette sent me an update on Macy and she thanks you all for your responses. She is hardly getting any sleep, though, so it will be a little while before she joins PT.

"The sores are still rather horrible but one can see a slight improvement, it is just so hard to wrap her up so that all her sores are out of reach. Today I got a cone for her and she snarled and growled. So now I found an old T-shirt that I have put on her, that seems to work. She looks so cute in it. Will try to get some pictures."

[MonicanHonda]

Aww, I'm glad things are looking a LITTLE bit better. It's always hard seeing our puppies in less than perfect condition.