Once a licensed veterinarian diagnoses your dog with a CCL tear and it is decided that surgery is the best option for your dog, there are three main orthopedic procedures to repair an ACL tear: 1. A lateral suture technique (aka extracapsular repair), 2. Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO), and 3.
Please note: The cost of TPLO surgery can vary, depending on your veterinary surgeon, where the surgery is being performed, the size of your dog, and what part of the country you live in. The average cost in the US ranges from $3,500 – $5,500.
Longer flights of stairs should not be used for strength training but are allowed with supervision after the 4 weeks post surgery as long as your dog is consistently using their leg and is not allowed to run or jump up the stairs.
Healing from TTA surgery is generally rapid. About half of all canine patients will begin walking on the injured leg within 24 hours after surgery. At 2 weeks postoperatively, most dogs are bearing moderate to complete amounts of weight on the affected leg.
Running, jumping and playing are still not permitted. In the first two weeks of rehabilitation (weeks 7 and 8 after surgery), you should take your dog on progressively longer leash walks. Begin with walks of two blocks in length. Continue this for a few days.
Currently the success rate of either surgery is between 85-90%. This means your pet should get back to normal or near normal activity over a 2-4 month period. There are a small percentage of dogs and cats that do not do well following cruciate ligament injury, no matter how they are treated.
Continue physiotherapy exercises and gradually increase activity until full function of the knee returns and your dog appears normal. We expect your dog to be back to normal function by 4-5 months following surgery. Please call at any time if you have any questions.
TTA is the abbreviation for Tibial Tuberosity Advancement. This a surgical procedure used to treat cranial (or anterior) cruciate ligament rupture in the knee joints (stifle) of dogs. It involves cutting the top of the shin bone (the tibia), moving it forward and stabilising it in its new position.
The MMP (Modified Maquet Procedure) TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) is an innovative surgery used for repairing cranial cruciate ligament ruptures in the knee joints of dogs. A titanium foam implant is used to advance the tibial crest, which pulls the head of the femur back into proper position.
TPLO surgery involves making a curved cut in the tibia from the front to the back, much like half a smiley face. The top section of the tibia is then rotated backward until the angle between the tibia and femur is deemed appropriately level, typically between 2 and 14 degrees, with 5 degrees being the ideal angle.
Veterinary Lateral Suture Stabilization SurgeryIn this technique, a strong monofilament suture is placed from the lateral fabella (a small bone adjacent to the femur) to the tibial crest. This suture limits cranial translation of the tibia relative to the femur and maintains normal range of motion in the knee.
8-16 weeks postoperatively: After bone healing is confirmed (usually at the 8 week recheck but sometimes 12 week recheck), you may slowly increase activity including some controlled off-leash activity, running and jumping over the next month.
Yes, statistics tell us that 40-60% of the dogs that rupture one cranial cruciate ligament will eventually rupture the other one as well. This is likely multifactorial and caused in part by obesity, genetics and continued wear and tear on the ligament over time.
The cost can vary from $1100 to upwards of $4500 depending on the surgery type and who is performing the procedure. In the end, the TPLO or TTA are going to be more expensive surgery options than the lateral suture technique but they may be a better option for your dog.
Dogs with a torn ACL are reluctant to play or go for walks.
Keep your pet from running, jumping, and climbing stairs for the next ten days. Too much of these kinds of activities can damage the leg after ACL surgery. Walk your dog for five minutes two or three times each day for the first week following surgery. Walks should be short, slow-paced, and controlled.
A ruptured ACL or CCL is the most common knee injury of dogs; in fact in most cases a sudden lameness of the hind limb tends to be a ruptured cruciate until proven otherwise. The most common signs include: sudden pain of the hind limb, swelling of the knee, instability of the knee, or hindlimb weakness.
Treatment for CCL Injuries in a DogIf left untreated, the lameness caused by a partially torn or ruptured CCL will improve or go away completely in many dogs, especially small ones, within three to six weeks.
The stifle or knee is the joint that sits on the front of the hind leg in line with the abdomen. The lower thigh (tibia and fibula) is the part of the hind leg beneath the knee to the hock. The hock is the oddly shaped joint that makes a sharp angle at the back of the dog's leg (corresponds to a human's ankle)
Your Dog Sits AwkwardlyIt indicates they are experiencing discomfort in the knee and are hesitant to fully flex it. This is one of the easiest signs to detect when an ACL tear is present and a repair procedure such as a TPLO surgery may be indicated.
TPLO Recovery: Your Post-Operative Priorities
- Let the anesthesia clear his system.
- Keep the surgical wounds protected, clean, and dressed.
- Allow the bones and surrounding tissue to heal by restricting activity.
- Maintain your dog's comfort.
- Minimize disruption to your household routine.
