Ruptured cruciate...to repair or not to repair?

Question

I have a 5-year-old Rottweiler that has now been diagnosed with a ruptured Cruciate Ligament. I want to do what is best for her, but I have heard conflicting reports on how the dogs really fare after the surgery.
I understand Osteoarthritis is a given any time you invade a joint surgically. Is this really that much better than Meniscus pressure? Money is not an issue, I just want to do what's best for my dog and keep her comfortable.

Answer 1

I would take the ex-rays to another vet, and let the two of them help you decide..(second opinion) Be sure to ask all questions..It sounds like you know about the procedure, so you can ask appropriate questions..Unless surgery is emergent, it is always helpful to get a second opinion..whether for humans or pets..then you can feel better about your descision (I'm a retired surgical nurse)

Answer 2

Any time surgery is performed within a joint there always a risk of introducing an infection within that joint. So what you would be worried about is a septic joint. Steps are usually taken to minimize this before, during and after surgery. Most dogs are placed on antibiotics and the surgical approach to the joint is as sterile as possible. In regards to osteoarthritis most dogs when they are diagnosed with a ruptured cruciate have the beginning signs of osteoarthritis already. These are usually degenerative changes meaning the injury to the cruciate ligament has caused an inflammatory response within the knee which over time has caused the cartilage to change and new bone to form to attempt to compensate for the injury. This osteoarthritis will continue to progress if your dog does not have surgery and the dog may become more painful. My experience with cruciate surgery patients are that most dogs fair well after the surgery with proper physical therapy and exercise restriction. I have seen dogs fully recovery within six weeks. Weight loss is also an important component to a dog's.recovery as well if the dog is overweight. There are two common surgeries that are performed for cruciate repair. One is called a lateral suture, this is where suture is used to help restore the function of the damage ligament. Another surgery is called a Tibia Plateau Leveling Osteotomy. This actually involves cutting into the thigh bone and altering the angle and also involves having a metal plate placed in the dog. This surgery tends to be more expensive then the lateral suture. But some owners report a faster recovery in the short term but studies have shown long term that there is no difference between the two surgeries as far as recovery goes. My recommendation is that your dog have the surgery as in the long run that will be the best for him. These surgeries are not without complications just make sure the surgeons make you aware of all of them before you make your final decision. Good luck

Answer 3

My Husky had the surgery at 10 years old and she lived to 15. She had arthritis but most dogs get it as they age. If the surgery is done properly, it will last the rest of their lives. During the recovery, make sure the dog is in a small, contained area. The dog won't like it but do it anyway. Don't let her move around or walk her (even if the vet says to do it - I learned this the hard way). Afterwards, my dog walked fine but would get tired of walking after about 30 minutes. She would still jump around and play with other dogs. She was happy and healthy. At her age, I felt blessed I had a few more years with her.

Answer 4

"Rule of thumb" on cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) repair in dogs (called anterior cruciate ligament/ACL in humans):

Under about 20#, and in good body condition (not obese)....they tend to do fine with strict rest and antiinflammatories for 2-3 weeks. The body seems to be able to produce enough scar tissue around the joint on its own to steady it fairly well.

Over 20#/obese/heavy bodied or 'stocky' dogs....really need the surgery, since they can't regain joint stability on their own.

I'm guessing your Rottie falls into the second category as far as weight/body type. ;-)

The knee is ALREADY the most unstable joint of the body, and the one with the most asked of it as far as joint stresses. Without the cruciate ligament to lend stability, it is MORE prone to osteoarthritis without surgery than with it. Osteoarthritis is not a 'given' any time you invade the joint surgically...but in this case, it's pretty much guaranteed to happen if you don't. Surgery will tremendously reduce her likelihood of developing OA. And without the surgery, she'll rely more on her other leg....making it all that much more likely for her to rupture THAT cruciate ligament, too. (She's likely to rupture the other one anyway...but no sense in putting even more strain on it.) Meniscal tearing is a common sequelae of CCL rupture in large breeds when it's not repaired, also. We're seeing more and more of this problem in large breeds, esp. Labs and Rotties....whereas 20 years ago, it was almost exclusively seen in 'fat old poodle'-type dogs who jumped up and down off of the furniture.

Every time your dog puts her foot down with any weight at all, the cartilage on the end of her femur will rub/scrape against the cartilage on the top of her tibia....eroding it away over time and causing great pain. Imagine the smooth, slick cartilage surfaces you've seen on chicken bones. That's what it's supposed to look like. But imagine what it would look like if you pressed 2 of them together and rubbed them back and forth over and over and over and over.....

As with all surgical procedures, it's always wise to seek a second opinion. But do it ASAP. The longer it is put off, the less successful repair is...because damage to the cartilage cannot be reversed. (It can only be prevented.) Regardless of whether the surgery is performed or not, I would give her a high-quality glucosamine/chondroitin supplement from now on, to help minimize any possible damage to the cartilage. Your DVM/orthopedic surgeon can tell you more about that.

I hope you choose to do the surgery. (And if she's even 5# overweight, please ask your DVM about the best way to trim her down.)

Answer 5

We did not have surgery on ours, and she is doing great, i kept her calm for about a month after it happened and this was 2 years ago, she is almost 8 now is and very active, it does not seem to bother her