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Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!

 
Anonymous Coward
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01/13/2011 10:10 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
My dog has a genetic problem with his legs that will eventually cause a torn ACL in both of his hind legs. Surgery has been quoted at about $1400 for each leg by two vets. Physical therapy will help, but is not necessary if you are willing to exercise your dog at home. Good luck to you and your baby.
Sailor Santiago

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01/13/2011 10:13 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Opeth, some suggestions - 1) Get a second opinion. (So obvious I know). 2) If you can locate one nearby find a teaching university to get a third opinion. Where vets are taught you're likely to find a quality team diagnosis and some thinking outside the box. 3) contact and speak with some folks who work with working (herding, bird, rescue, etc.) dogs. I'd pick herdsmen (well, herds-people) first as they are likely to know how to diagnose and treat animals away from and independently from vet. methods. (cut, cut, accept a check, cut, cut some more) and you might find some other outside the box treatment regimens. (lineaments, exercises, otherwise herbal or truly traditional cures). Working animals cannot be sacrificed to months of incapacitation and live very long and rugged lives in spite of what the vets say about expedient care. Expedient for whom?. A phone call could do wonders for your sense of proper treatments... Scalpeled antisocial twerps are a relatively new phenomenon in the dog world, no? The working dog is a thousands year old phenomenon and the care of the companion working animal is most important always. Perhaps at the very least the wisdom of true dog lovers will help with alternatives and countermeasures to the seemingly silly need to again lay the dog under the knife because the other side of the poor creature's limbs are mortified by disuse in the healing process.

Last Edited by Sailor Santiago on 01/13/2011 10:17 PM
Opeth  (OP)

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01/13/2011 10:13 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Of course, every injury is individual. So we can tell you all day about what did or did not work for our dog and it only helps if the circumstance is exactly the same.

when one goes, the other one often goes later. don't know why exactly, but I would suspect a goofy dog who doesn't get enough exercise and then just blows it out.

I would give the dog some time, first. Surgical intervention isn't always the best option, believe me. It sure didn't work out well for my sister's dog's torn acl. It'll make you feel like you've done everything you can, but there's a heck of a lot of checks on the side that says 'don't do it'.

so I'd do my darnedest to keep the dog quiet, get some rimadyl for inflamation. It may not be completely torn and would heal much better if it healed on its own.

I deal with vet stuff with horses all the time. (I have 14 equines). So I'm real familiar with making a judgement call. The vets have to do it all the time.

And then after all is healed (whether surgery or on its own) I'd start a steady work out regime for doggie. You know - 20 minutes of jogging after you've worked up to it. This is what we do with horses. Condition them.

Best of luck!!!
 Quoting: WTHell 1224897


TYVM! What I was thinking exactly. It's all very individual. I know my girl better than anyone. I will see what needs to be done. Of course, I feel very uncertain emotionally because I love her so much but mentally I do know what I need to do and what I need to look for. I'm already treating with anti-inflams, etc. She's a very smart dog so she's taking it easy. I can see that she knows what is up and is trying to take care, so that helps too (as border collies tend to be freaks! (in a good way!))

Thank you for contributing. Just going to get my second opinion and see how she does in the meantime. :)

hf
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
Opeth  (OP)

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01/13/2011 10:15 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
I suggest finding a vet that specializes in TPLO surgery. Not all vets can fix a torn acl some will just try to patch it. (Quacks). Find a specialist and they will give you your options, but TPLO surgery is a permanent fix. Our pittie had it years ago and is still rompn like a puppie. Well worth the money. Just find someone who does this for a living. I can't stress this enough. Here is a link.


[link to www.medvet-cves.com]


Playing Frisbee is the number one cause of a torn acl in dogs.



^ +1 ^
TLPO surgery...definitely should be done by a specialist. However, I would like to state again...I would try to limit activity for a couple of months and see if it improves on it's own.

I used to show Dogs, specifically Rottweilers and Brussels Griffons and know many people who have had dogs with this issue. NOT ALL OF THEM NEED SURGERY! Depends on how much damage is there. Vets of course will not tell you that...but I know first hand that some do heal FINE!
 Quoting: inquisitive1


TY so much guys! All of this helps. I have my basic protocol but was really stressed and wanted to hear from others. Thx again! grouphug
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
Opeth  (OP)

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01/13/2011 10:23 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
My dog has a genetic problem with his legs that will eventually cause a torn ACL in both of his hind legs. Surgery has been quoted at about $1400 for each leg by two vets. Physical therapy will help, but is not necessary if you are willing to exercise your dog at home. Good luck to you and your baby.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1214521


sigh

Yeah, my vet said the same thing about 'probable genetics'.
My instinct says let this other vet look at her.

I come from a family of animal lovers. If my other family vet says the same thing, then I will of course proceed. My gut is saying not to rush it. I'm certainly not going to let my girl suffer though.

You must be in a less expensive part of the world, I'm looking at $1900....which is fine... if it needs to be done. I just don't want to subject her to unnecessary trauma.
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
redman

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01/13/2011 10:24 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
poor pooch...my dog did the same thing...both legs. I did the surgery on the fully ruptured one, as for the partial, the vet recommended I wait until it fully tears. He pretty much back to normal...running and playing like a crazy dog! Give him time, some glucosamine, and dog anti inflams...NO ASPIRIN!!! It's toxic to dogs!!! Hope he's going to be ok

sigh

Anyone that knows me around here knows I'm a hardcore dog mommy.

To make a long story short. Gypsy, my border collie mix...was having snow shenanigans yesterday and came down bad on one of her back legs. She let out one little yelp and proceeded to remain 3 legged gimpy for the night. I gave her some buffered aspirin and cold compresses, yadda yadda.

Fast forward to today. She was still not walking on the affected leg so I took her to the vet. FUCKING TORN ACL. They are recommending surgery. Clearly I am going to get a second opinion with another family vet but shiiiiit.

It's not about the money, I would sell everything I own to care for my furry babies. I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced this and if it's really the BEST option.

The vet she saw today is SUCH A DOUCHER that I'm not even sure if it's a partial or full tear. If it turns out to be partial, I was thinking I'd rest her and do some home therapy for a few weeks.

Anyone have experience in this arena? I know there are alot of animal lovers on the forum.

Thx guys... I'm seriously a wreck over this. Lost one of babies 2 years ago and I'm always a mess when something goes wrong ... crying
 Quoting: Opeth
arosebyanyothername

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01/13/2011 10:37 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Dayum, Opeth, sorry to hear that. My BIL's dog had the same thing happen. They had the surgery, the dog was on bed rest for weeks, the whole deal. Within days after being given the "all clear" on that knee, the dog tore the other one.

And from what I understand, that's not uncommon.
 Quoting: D's Pet



Yep, the same thin happened to my beloved dog, PeeWee 14 years ago. He had the surgery and recovered, only to have te same thing happen to his othet leg, three years later. He lived to be 15 ears old for a big old poodle, so, it's well worth fixing.
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 03:55 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
my chowchow same problem, couldn't walk after yelp in the forrest, heartbreaking...but after the vet recommended 1700. in surgery & 9 weeks crated!!! i called my friends mom who was raised on a farm w/ lots of animals that these kinds of things happen to from time to time...for horses who would sprain/mess up leg/issue, they would religiously apply dmso from the feed store (7.99) and would heal quickly...i did the same for doggie/child & wa-la she was healed. this was used in the war on the field for e.r. work & burns so it's effective although it smells strongly of clams. it works! good luck...
Opeth  (OP)

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01/14/2011 10:23 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
my chowchow same problem, couldn't walk after yelp in the forrest, heartbreaking...but after the vet recommended 1700. in surgery & 9 weeks crated!!! i called my friends mom who was raised on a farm w/ lots of animals that these kinds of things happen to from time to time...for horses who would sprain/mess up leg/issue, they would religiously apply dmso from the feed store (7.99) and would heal quickly...i did the same for doggie/child & wa-la she was healed. this was used in the war on the field for e.r. work & burns so it's effective although it smells strongly of clams. it works! good luck...
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1226395


Wow, thank you! Going to pick some up on the way home.



In other news... second opinion says ABSOLUTELY DO THE SURGERY. Soooo, I guess I'm going to schedule it for late this month.

crying
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
J-Rico

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01/14/2011 10:25 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
When humans tear an ACL, it takes surgery and a LOT of time to heal. It's actually career ending injury for a lot of sports players, although lately it's a bit better to rebound due to technological advances.

That's just to help you visualize how important the ACL is to any living thing.

Don't take it lightly.

Get a second opinion.
Everyone dies, but not everyone lives.

:moranrico::Rico::moranrico:
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 10:45 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Don't you wonder why so much of this is happening to both dogs and people?
In my little world I personally know 3 people who have had knee replacements, 2 shoulder replacements, 2 with muscle torn from bone, & 3 tendons torn from bone.

How about canines in the wild...is there any evidence of this sort of thing among them?

Active, high energy dogs should not have such problems.
If they did they would have been lousy sheep workers.
Has to be the food, water and/or chemicals in the environment.

Sled dogs, active, working sled dogs.....ever heard of them having such problems?
Surely at least one Iditorod dog would have become aflicted.
gierrmo
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01/14/2011 10:51 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Dayum, Opeth, sorry to hear that. My BIL's dog had the same thing happen. They had the surgery, the dog was on bed rest for weeks, the whole deal. Within days after being given the "all clear" on that knee, the dog tore the other one.

And from what I understand, that's not uncommon.
 Quoting: D's Pet

It's not uncommon at all especially if the dog is overweight. I repaired a torn ACL a few months ago with a tight-rope procedure, the dog was doing great and then tore the ACL in the other leg. The repaired leg that is in recovery is now the good leg.
You do have at least 3 different surgical options however, depending on the patient's weight, bone structure, and your wallet.
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 10:52 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
This happened to 1 of my hounds about 10 years ago. COst me about $2000 in vet bills. She was fine after a while.
gierrmo
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01/14/2011 10:54 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
my chowchow same problem, couldn't walk after yelp in the forrest, heartbreaking...but after the vet recommended 1700. in surgery & 9 weeks crated!!! i called my friends mom who was raised on a farm w/ lots of animals that these kinds of things happen to from time to time...for horses who would sprain/mess up leg/issue, they would religiously apply dmso from the feed store (7.99) and would heal quickly...i did the same for doggie/child & wa-la she was healed. this was used in the war on the field for e.r. work & burns so it's effective although it smells strongly of clams. it works! good luck...


Wow, thank you! Going to pick some up on the way home.



In other news... second opinion says ABSOLUTELY DO THE SURGERY. Soooo, I guess I'm going to schedule it for late this month.

:crying:
 Quoting: Opeth

BE CAREFULL with DMSO. It will carry whatever chemicals it touches into your or your pets blood stream. I use it on my equine cases sometimes, but use gloves and don't contaminate it in any way. Have the leg cleaned as well.
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 11:17 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Discuss the different surgery options with your vet.

1. The extracapsular repair is the least invasive, and cheapest, but I would not recommend it as I have had a higher complication rate as far as long term function is concerned. It involves replacing the torn ligament with an artificial one outside of the joint capsule.

2. The tight-rope procedure is more invasive than the above but I have had good success with it and it is cheaper than a full TPLO or TTA. It involves drilling a bone tunnel in the femur (the bone above the knee) and the tibia ( the bone below the knee) and placing a braded suture to replace the ligament. This procedure places the artificial ligament much closer to its normal anatomical location. This procedure can be performed laproscopically as well.

3. The TPLO is a procedure where the surgeon cuts the top portion off of the tibia ( the large bone below the knee) in a semicircle cut and rotates the top fragment, changing the angle of the knee. A plate is then placed on the side of the tibia to keep the new fragment in place at the correct angle.
This procedure is very invasive, but has proven successful, especially in large breed dogs.

4. The TTA is also a procedure involving the tibia, in which the tibial tuberocity, a bony prominence and attatchment site for the patellar tendon, is cut and advanced forward. Again, like the TPLO it is more invasive, but proven successful.

With all of these, the surgeon will remove the torn ligament and likely any torn fragments of the meniscus in addition to the above. Recovery time will be long and will require cage rest and compliance on your part. Like a human knee full recovery will likely take several months.
Opeth  (OP)

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01/14/2011 11:21 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
When humans tear an ACL, it takes surgery and a LOT of time to heal. It's actually career ending injury for a lot of sports players, although lately it's a bit better to rebound due to technological advances.

That's just to help you visualize how important the ACL is to any living thing.

Don't take it lightly.

Get a second opinion.
 Quoting: J-Rico


Yeah, I've been doing my homework. This just sucks.

If you know anything about Border Collies, they are an extremely active and playful breed. Smart as hell too...scary smart lol

Luckily she is very intelligent and congicent of her injury so we are doing the best we can. I'm not going to take any chances so I will do the surgery. 2 trusted family vets told me the EXACT same thing so.... it is what it is.

At this point I just want it to be over with but I cannot even an appointment until the end of the month so fuckity fuck fuck.
sigh
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 11:22 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Dayum, Opeth, sorry to hear that. My BIL's dog had the same thing happen. They had the surgery, the dog was on bed rest for weeks, the whole deal. Within days after being given the "all clear" on that knee, the dog tore the other one.

And from what I understand, that's not uncommon.
 Quoting: D's Pet

I have also heard that the exam some vets give can be as bad as what caused the initial issue.
gierrmo
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01/14/2011 11:29 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
I have also heard that the exam some vets give can be as bad as what caused the initial issue.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 364476


I've not heard of this or read it in any of my journals. Enlighten me if you would.

Part of the exam is to determine laxity in the knee. The patient is sedated and the tibia is advanced forward while holding the femur in place. If the tibia advances past a certain point then the likelyhood of the ligament being torn is great, this is called cranial drawer sign. There are other portions of the exam, but as far as veterinarians rupturing ligaments during the exam, I don't think it is a common problem, not one I was ever warned about anyway.

I played sports for years and had my knees evaluated for ligament tears by human doctors, their exam was similar (without the sedation, because a human can be asked to totally relax the leg).
Opeth  (OP)

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01/14/2011 11:33 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
I've not heard of this or read it in any of my journals. Enlighten me if you would.

Part of the exam is to determine laxity in the knee. The patient is sedated and the tibia is advanced forward while holding the femur in place. If the tibia advances past a certain point then the likelyhood of the ligament being torn is great, this is called cranial drawer sign. There are other portions of the exam, but as far as veterinarians rupturing ligaments during the exam, I don't think it is a common problem, not one I was ever warned about anyway.

I played sports for years and had my knees evaluated for ligament tears by human doctors, their exam was similar (without the sedation, because a human can be asked to totally relax the leg).
 Quoting: gierrmo 852120


This. Absolutely correct. That is the standard practice...

She's not showing any signs of pain, which I am grateful for...but she's a really tough girl. It must be disturbing her even though she's not giving any indication.

sadface
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
Shamar

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01/14/2011 11:37 AM

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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Dayum, Opeth, sorry to hear that. My BIL's dog had the same thing happen. They had the surgery, the dog was on bed rest for weeks, the whole deal. Within days after being given the "all clear" on that knee, the dog tore the other one.

And from what I understand, that's not uncommon.
 Quoting: D's Pet

yup, that happened with my daughter's boxer. First one, the other ~ then the second one had to have ANOTHER repair. 3 surgeries....He will never be 100% again, he's only 3.
Love is like light. It is never constrained to its source; it shines on everything and tends to spread spontaneously, unless we block it! ~ Cosmic Swami
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 11:43 AM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!


She's not showing any signs of pain, which I am grateful for...but she's a really tough girl. It must be disturbing her even though she's not giving any indication.

:sadface:
 Quoting: Opeth

She is non-weight bearing on that leg though right, she holds it up when she walks and runs?
gierrmo
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01/14/2011 12:04 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
I have to run and won't check my computer till Monday, if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way just ask, I'll check the thread then. Good luck hope it all goes well. I have operated on several of these myself and have also referred some and have also seen patients whose owners refused surgery. You are making the right decision and I wish you and your dog well.
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 12:08 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
One of my big dogs had a partial cruciate ligament tear about 2 years ago. They also recommended surgery, I said no after I looked into the surgery and saw what was involved, the level of pain and recovery time with no guarantee it would work.

I dosed him up on rimadyl, and alot of natural meds, and rest. I looked into all kinds of braces for the leg, decided to go with nothing.

Well, it healed on it's own, and he's a very active 100lb dog. When he stresses that leg alot, he will get a little limpy for a day or two, but it heals up again.

I"m glad that I didn't get the surgery.

I have alot of experience with lame dogs, I'll come back after I eat lunch and give you more information.

You really need to know if it's a full or partial tear. A full tear will never heal, a partial tear might.
Opeth  (OP)

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01/14/2011 12:14 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
She is non-weight bearing on that leg though right, she holds it up when she walks and runs?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 852120


She's mostly holding it up but she keeps trying to test it. When I touch it and feel around the area, she doesn't react at all...though I'm sure she must be in some pain.

My poor baby :(
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
Opeth  (OP)

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01/14/2011 12:37 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
One of my big dogs had a partial cruciate ligament tear about 2 years ago. They also recommended surgery, I said no after I looked into the surgery and saw what was involved, the level of pain and recovery time with no guarantee it would work.

I dosed him up on rimadyl, and alot of natural meds, and rest. I looked into all kinds of braces for the leg, decided to go with nothing.

Well, it healed on it's own, and he's a very active 100lb dog. When he stresses that leg alot, he will get a little limpy for a day or two, but it heals up again.

I"m glad that I didn't get the surgery.

I have alot of experience with lame dogs, I'll come back after I eat lunch and give you more information.

You really need to know if it's a full or partial tear. A full tear will never heal, a partial tear might.
 Quoting: Lisa*Lisa


TYVM Lisa, I am very interested in hearing your experiences with this. Neither Vet wanted to bother doing an xray. They keep saying it's 'unnecessary' due to the obvious injury....

Since I cannot even get her scheduled until the end of the month, I was going to monitor her progress for the time being and see. I hate the idea of having her go through surgery. Also, the anesthesia is always a big worry too.

IDK, I just wish I could get some concrete answers...
sigh
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 03:55 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
TYVM Lisa, I am very interested in hearing your experiences with this. Neither Vet wanted to bother doing an xray. They keep saying it's 'unnecessary' due to the obvious injury....

Since I cannot even get her scheduled until the end of the month, I was going to monitor her progress for the time being and see. I hate the idea of having her go through surgery. Also, the anesthesia is always a big worry too.

IDK, I just wish I could get some concrete answers...
sigh
 Quoting: Opeth



Ok, first you should get an xray to rule out any other problem like a fractured bone, or something like that. I haven't read through the entire thread as I'm busy today, but did you see anything happen? Did it come on suddenly? How did it start? Any history of any injury or anything else? How old is she and how much does she weigh?

I have 2 very large breed spaniels, litter mates with all kinds of genetic problems. When they were 6 months old, Ivan started yelping when he would try to get up. We took him to several different vets, had a full series of xrays done, and the diagnoses was severe hip dysplasia. One vet told me that it was hopeless, to put him down. The other vet told me to have it fixed with surgery which meant breaking his pelvis and revamping his ball and sockets. They told me he would be completely lame by the time he was 1 year old.

I researched the surgery that they wanted to do, it was beyond brutal. I can't put an animal through that, so I researched out alternative treatments. First thing I did was eliminate all dog food products. After learning what was in dog food, there was no question about it.

Second thing I did was take him for regular Adequan shots administered by our vet. At the same time, he was put on a daily formula of glucosamine, chrondoiton & MSM along with evening primrose oil, heavy dosages of other supplements, and a diet of 100% human food which consisted of rice, meat, cheese, veggies, fruits and grains.

Then I prayed, daily for his healing. He started walking without any signs of pain, by the time he was 12 months he was running, jumping and showing no signs of any problems at all.

That was almost 5 years ago and he's never had a problem ever since. If I had listened to one of the vets, I'd have put him to sleep. If I had listened to the other vet, he would have had a brutal and very painful surgery and physical therapy for months of terrible recovery.

Both vets were WRONG!!!!! Ivan is a healthy and happy carefree dog with no problems.

Now, Ivan's brother Teddy, didn't have the hip dysplasia, but 2 years ago he was running in the yard one day like any other day and something happened when I wasn't looking and he came in holding up his leg and yelping. He could not put this leg down at all, not even for a minute.

He's never done this before so we didn't know what the heck happened, maybe a broken foot or something? We rushed him to the vet and they did an xray, saw nothing. She did an examination on him and she said that she was sure it was a torn cruciate ligament. She recommended surgery......no way was I going to put him through that. I read about that surgery, and it's no picnic.

She believed that his was a partial tear after doing her exam, and she told me that no dogs recover from this without surgery. I went home devastated, and started doing my own research on this trying to figure out what to do for my Teddy.

I read on a few bulletin boards where others have had their dogs healed without surgery, so I decided to try that. The Adequan shots worked well for Ivan and his hip dysplasia, so I figured why not try it. So, I did. He had weekly Adequan injections along with the Rimidyl for pain and daily glucosamine, chrondroidon & MSM supplements and then I just prayed daily for his recovery.

Over the following couple of weeks, he started putting that leg down a little bit, not putting weight on it tho. A few weeks later he was putting weight on it more and more until eventually he was back to normal again.

That was 2 years ago and Teddy runs full speed through the house and jumps and plays every day. Sometimes when he stresses that leg a little too much he will limp for a day or two, so it's sensitive and weaker then the other legs, but for the most part it's as good as new.

Neither of my dogs have eaten dog food since they were just a few months old. They get a ton of protein from meat, eggs, cheese, and grains, fruits and veggies along with daily glucosamine, chrondoiton & MSM. They will be on this for the rest of their life as maintenance. It's working, so I just keep on doing it.

So, was it the Adequan shots, the daily supliments, the eliminating of pet food, or the prayer that healed both of my dogs from their crippling ailments? Or was it a combination of these things? I don't know. I can only tell you what I experienced, what I did, and the outcome for both of my dogs.

The vets don't always have the answers, and they are quick to dice and slice. But, that's not always the best form of treatment out there.

I hope this info helps, I know how much it hurt to see your baby hurting.
Anonymous Coward
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01/14/2011 06:38 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Bump for the OP.
gierrmo
User ID: 852120
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01/19/2011 01:12 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
I do agree with LisaLisa that an x-ray would be in order to assess the stifle joint for any signs of bony change. Even though this is a young dog, arthritic changes could be noted which would make for a poorer prognosis.

I do not agree that a full ACL tear will ever heal on its own. These usually have a miniscal tear as well. I saw a dog about a year ago with a full tear and the owner declined surgery, at that time the x-ray showed a healthy knee. 8 months later we took another x-ray and severe arthritic changes were present in the knee and the dog was not using the leg well at all.

Each case is different, but if it is a full tear, surgery is really your only option for the dog to return to normal function on the leg.

If it is a month before the surgeon can operate take this time to evaluate whether any progress is being made or not.

If you want definite answers and want to pay for it, have an MRI or maybe even have the knee scoped. Not everywhere has these capabilities and you would likely have to travel, but the technology is there.

Good luck
sunny

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01/19/2011 01:23 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
we had our aussie mix done....1800 a surgury. Once one is fixed the other seems to go to. hes doing good..he will not be the same runner but gets along fine with the others.hes 7 yrs old and should lead a normal life.. other then not be able to jump and run very fast. peace

Last Edited by sunny on 01/19/2011 01:24 PM
changes come from the sun....
Opeth  (OP)

User ID: 1173053
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01/19/2011 01:26 PM
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Re: Dog owners....one of my babies has a torn ACL...anyone experience this? F****k!
Hiya! hf

Thank you for all you've contributed.

I have decided to do the surgery. After all the research I've done, it really seems that it's my best option. Especially with her size. Medium-Larger dogs just really seem to need the surgery to regain full activity levels.

It's been nearly a full week and she's still hobbling around. She keeps testing the leg but it's pretty evident now that surgery is the best plan. :(

All of the concern and advice is MUCH appreciated. Her surgery will not be until late in the month but I will keep updating the thread.

Thanks so much everyone! flower

grouphug
"Today young men on acid realized all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration... that we are all one conciousness experiencing ourselves subjectively.
There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
...Here's Tom with the weather"

:Opeth-1:





GLP