Torn Cruciate

[lv4dogs]

(forgive me if some technical terms are incorrect, this is all coming from my memory LOL)

Raustyk has had both cruciates on both back legs repaired, both were torn. The first leg I opted for the cheaper surgery, (ACL repair if I remember correctly, if not it was the CCL) where they use natural tissue from the stifle, large suture material &/or surgical wire to pretty much connect the tissue & help stabalize it. The complete total for this surgery (including pre& post op care, x-rays, etc...) was about $900. This happened when the newer surgery was just coming out (TPLO I *think*) so most vets would only perform this type of surgery anyways. Total recovery period was about 6 months, but she will always be affected by this.

A year later her other cruciate was torn. Knowing that the other leg would never be right again, and it would be unfair if both back legs were not very stable (as her other leg was only repaired & arthritis had already set in), I opted for the better surgery, (TPLO if I remember correctly), where they actually file down the bone to make a better, more stabalized fit of the tibial plateau or fibular head. They then help connect the tissue via natural tissue from the stifle, large suture material &/or surgical wire. This surgery was about $1500 total and well worth the cost. The healing preiod was much shorter and less painful as well. And recovery is just absolutely wonderful, it's almost like she never ever had a problem with that leg before. Total recovery time for this surgery was about 3 months & she is not bothered by this what so ever.

After seeing her go through both surgeries I would never ever reccomend the first surgery. It's well worth the extra few hundred dollars, and in the long run you'd probably end up saving thousands in additional vet care, meds & supplements not to mention their activity level with the first surgery will be decreased and will always have to be monitored more closely.

I do not reccomend NOT doing surgery, that is a very painful injury and I could not imagine living with that day in & day out.

[GoetheMommy]

For me, $1800 for each leg, is a lot of money. It's a little overwhelming. I am encouraged though, by the information I've gathered on braces and leg sleeves, and by the stories I've heard of other dogs recovering from this injury. I work at home so I am able to be with her 24hrs a day. And while 6 months of intensive care is a lot of work, I am happy to do this. I got her when she was 2 weeks old, her mother had stopped nursing the puppies. So for the first few months of her life we were never seperated. I love her very much and I want her to have a happy pain-free life. While I understand that this surgery may repair the injury, I also know that many dogs have recovered without the surgery.

I want to see what things are like for a week. The injury only happened yesterday as she was jumping up to get on the bed for her afternoon nap. She's getting complete down time in a pen in the living room, right next to me, I don't even let her stand, and even though she's 60 lbs I carry her to the yard and back to the recovery den.

[GoetheMommy]

I'm still weighing options. I just need a couple of days to find out if there are any alternatives, talk to as many people about it as I can, figure out how to come up with the money. I just have to be convinced that this is the only-only option.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Forgot to add earlier, we seriously thought about the surgery as it would have been more comfortable for her but our vet told us that there was only one vet anywhere near us that could do it and he charged $2500 with a 40% chance of it actually being successful.

[GoetheMommy]

My vet said she would do it, but didn't seem confident. I don't know if that was because she isn't a skillful surgeon, or just would rather a specialist do it, or because the success rate over a longer period of time isn't much higher than letting them heal at home. By success I mean not only restoring mobility, but avoiding arthritis. It seems to me that even though they have the surgery they will still eventually develop arthritis in the joint. As I understand, the pain from the injury will subside as it heals, and that long term pain comes from arthritis. It seems to me that the surgery is good for a faster recovery and staving off arthritis for the next year or two, but that in the end, her knee will still have the arthritis, and will never be the same as before the injury.

[lv4dogs]

Here's a helpful site, or at least it was a few years ago, thats about the last time I really looked around. It was very helpful for me when I needed it.
http://www.lauriebryce.com/tplo/


Gosh, there was a community/forum that I used to a member of for years, it was strictly about anything that had to do with mobility issues in dogs. I lost the link when we had some computer work done a few months ago. I've been searching all day & can't seem to find it. When I do I'll post it, that site was my best friend during many hard time with both Raustyk & Nanook as well as a few fosters.

[GoetheMommy]

Oh my . .