Dog Knee Injuries

The dog's knee joint connects three bones: the femur (hip to the knee), the tibia (knee to the ankle) and the patella (kneecap). Ligaments join these bones together. The most common dog knee injuries are to the ligaments. Ligament injuries are most often treated surgically in larger dogs and may be treated with medication and rest in smaller ones.

Identification

Cranial cruciate ligament rupture causes your dog to protect his injured knee by keeping his leg raised, limping, and/or sitting at an angle with the injured leg stretched out. The injury may be sudden during running or jumping or may progress over a long time, especially in overweight dogs.

If you think your dog has a ligament injury, have it checked immediately by your vet. The vet will check the movement of the limb, feeling for slipping or draw. The vet will also X-ray the leg. Depending on the size of the dog, the vet may recommend rest and medication or more likely surgery.

Types of Surgery

Lateral suture (also called fabellotibial suture or nylon suture technique or lateral imbrication technique) is a procedure that places a suture outside the knee joint. This procedure is less invasive and has fewer complications than more invasive procedures. Lateral suture works best for dogs 40 to 45 pounds or less in weight.

The tightrope CCL surgery uses a fiber tape to stabilize the joint. According to Veterinary News, "The theorized advantages of the tightrope (TR) over the LRIS (lateral retinacular imbrication suture) include bone fixation at both tibial and femoral attachments, more accurate isometric placement, minimally invasive capabilities and the strength, stiffness and creep characteristics of the implant."

Intracapsular ligament replacement requires transplanting tissue or replacing the ligament with a synthetic graft made from materials such as Gore-Tex.

Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) is a technique that eliminates opposing forces on the knee by changing the joint's anatomy. This procedure involves making a cut in the tibia and then stabilizing the knee with a specialized bone plate. Only veterinarians that have been trained and licensed by the developer of the technique are permitted to perform this surgery.

The Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) procedure stabilizes the knee joint by shifting the cross-over point, the angle between the patellar ligament, and the tibial plateau. It is accomplished by moving the projection at the end of a bone where it attaches to a muscle or tendon forward so that the patellar ligament is perpendicular to the tibial plateau.

Recovery Time

Rest and limited activity are essential for recovering from joint surgery, particularly the more invasive ones. Your dog will need to remain quiet for several weeks. Usually limited exercise may begin at eight weeks with most restrictions lifted at four months. For extreme activities, like agility, you should wait about six months.

Considerations

Recovery rates are high for joint surgery in dogs; however joint surgery to repair torn ligaments is expensive. The less invasive the procedure is, the lower the cost. The main disadvantage of the lateral suture is potential breaking. The main disadvantage of TPLO and TTA is cost.

Benefits

A torn ligament is painful for your dog. Left untreated, your dog may further injure the knee and the damaged joint is likely to develop arthritis.

References

• Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture in your Dog by Burlington Veterinary Specialists
• Tightrope as an Alternative for the Treatment of Injuries of the Cranial Cruciate Ligament in Dogs
• Tightrope CCL

Resources

• American Veterinary Medical Association