Pet Orthopedics Surgery Information

Cruciate Ligament surgery
Cruciate ligament injury is very common in dogs, and unfortunately almost always requires surgery to repair.

Injury to the cruciate ligament can occur from degeneration of the ligament or trauma, usually a twisting injury. This usually happens during exercise or when your pet changes direction quickly. It is thought that some dogs are predisposed to ligament injuries due to weakness of the ligaments.

Injury to the cruciate ligament is very painful, and causes the knee to become unstable. Your pet will then become non weight bearing. This will increase the load on the hip and other knee joint. Unfortunately, dogs who rupture one Cruciate ligament often rupture the other legs cruciate too.

To diagnose a cruciate injury our vets will take a full history and examine your pet. We will then perform X-rays to determine the extent of the injury, and make a plan for pain management, and surgical correction

There are several different techniques to repair a cruciate rupture, and these vary depending on the severity and weight of the animal.

The most common repair we do in dogs is Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy also known as TPLO. This surgery adjusts the angle of the knee so the knee does no longer has to rely on the Cruciate ligament.

If you pet requires a TPLO surgery, we work closely with some local orthopaedic specialists who perform the surgery at Vets on Crown so your usual vet team are fully involved in the care of your pet.

It is important to note there are other surgical techniques that can repair a cruciate ligament, and these vary depending on size, severity of injury and surgeon experience and preference. We will always recommend what we believe will give you and your pet the best outcome.

You can see how this surgery works by watching this video: