Looks like Pippa has damaged her cruciate ligament

[twiceover2]

Pippa started limping on Monday morning (no apparent cause) and last night couldn't get comfortable at all to even sleep so I took her to the vet this morning.  He thinks she has either sprained or torn her cruciate ligament (right hind leg).  We have painkillers to last until Friday.  If she is still limping once these are finished, we have to go back on Monday as the vet says that would mean it is more likely a torn ligament which will need surgery.  Of course, I have been googling and have read that she is now going to develop arthritis in the joint, regardless of whether a sprain or tear. 

Does anyone have any experience of this type of injury?  Has anyone's dog had to have the operation?  I am also wondering how we can best improve her chances with delaying the arthritis.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that it is just a sprain and will improve with rest and time.  She is sleeping now, so at least the painkillers are helping her get some rest.

[Jonnydog]

My Jess did this as a pup. She cried and cried and put herself to bed  Took her to the vet who advised crate rest for six weeks! It was a bit of a nightmare keeping her quiet after the first few days, but she was only twelve weeks. It played havoc with her socialisation, BUT she made a full recovery. Hopefully Pippa will be okay without the operation.

[LurcherGirl]

My lurcher had two damaged ligaments (not torn, "just" damaged), which caused him a lot of pain. We operated on the worse one and the other one seems to have stabilised itself now and didn't need surgery. The surgery was two years ago - and as yet, he shows no signs of arthritis or other weakness in his knee joints.  

I do give him salmon oil and a glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement every day and he goes to the chiropractor every 4 months (as his weight-baring is slightly off now on the operated leg) and so far, two years later and at 11 years old, he is as fit as a fiddle with no problems in any of his joints.  

[MaggieR]

No experience with the cruciate ligament but in terms of joint arthritis, Maggie had elbow dysplasia as a pup and needed surgery, she has arthritis in both front elbows and since diagnosis has been on a daily glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement each day, much like LurcherGirl and she shows no real signs of discomfort day to day.  She's uncomfortable on manipulation of her elbows, but then I know she does have arthritis, but day to day she's fine and will be 4 in January.

[Jan D]

Roxy  (who is just 2) tore her digital flexor tendon earlier this year and she had to have an operation to repair it. It is the tendon that connects the toes to the back of the leg. We thought it was cruciate dagame at first but our vet was wonderful and spotted the problem straight away. Apparently when he flexed the toes her tendon 'popped out' of the groove it should have been sitting in on the back of her leg at her 'knee' joint. the cause (he thinks) was simply jumping out of the car after being wound up and excited at the prospect of a walk.

She was in a splint for 5 weeks which was not easy to say the least - how do you keep a working cocker quiet?? Anyway, it has now fully healed and she is fine again. The vet didn't mention anything to us about arthritis but, like you said, it is bound to be a risk now. To be honest we are just delighted to have out little girl fit again after such a long time of no walks and no jumping.

I hope it is just a sprain for Pippa - let us know how you get on on Friday - good luck

[JaspersMum]

Don't know whether the information here might help you

http://www.k9-massage.co.uk/main/conditions_cruciat_ligament.asp

[debbiedaywalker]

Everything's crossed that it is a sprain - sending you lots of positive vibes!

[Megan Ffion]

 

[bluegirl]

I hope its just a sprain. My old dog damaged hers when she was bobbing a weaving with a young pup but fortunately she only required painkillers and rest.

[twiceover2]

Thanks for the good luck wishes.  I used to give Pippa and Barney Yumega oil but stopped when I changed their diet as their new food has lots of added oils.  I'm going to get them some salmon oil now though.

Thanks for the massage therapy link, Jasper's Mum, OH is interested in massage therapy anyway, so might see if she wants to book on a course.

Still hoping it's justa sprain.  The painkillers must be good because Pippa is walking on it like there's nothing wrong now - having to watch her like a hawk so she doesn't jump up and off the sofas.  Every night about 8pm she likes to have a play fight with Barney which usually lasts half an hour.  I'm thinking of getting her crate out tonight and putting her in there to avoid any playfighting.  Might put her in there for bed too, so she's not up and down on the sofas overnight.  She slept on our bed last night but was wandering all over it all night trying to get comfortable, so we didn't get much sleep.  OH will probably wnat her back up with us again though.    

[Lily Pup]

Sending hugs and flobbery licks your way for some good news.

My Kiara did hers 4 months ago     I was so upset but the reality wasn't as bad as what I read on google  :-)

She had the op in March where they put wire through her knee  didn't look to bad but the thought made me feel sick - I'll put a piccie up at the end so anyone a bit squeamish doesn't have to look.

As she was so fit the vet said 3 days of complete crate rest, only allowed outside for toilet breaks on lead as she was doped up on Tramadol and Metecam this wasn't an issue for us, then just toilet break walks in the garden on lead for a week, allowed out of crate but no jumping etc, after a week she was allowed out 5-10 mins on lead, this is when the issues started as she was feeling ok in herself but wasn't allowed out for proper walkies I found leaving her with a raw bone (her favourite) to chew on kept her quiet.  The vet was so happy with her progress he said we could start building her up but to keep her on lead to stop her running.  Then we had the incident with Bailey and it knocked her right back so we started from scratch again.

Today I took her for her first off lead walk where she could have her ball, she loves to chase her ball    We were out for an hour and I threw the ball maybe 5 times and she's been fine  No limping etc so looks like she's over it.

Not sure about the arthritis thing, the vets said he could feel some in her knee but it should calm down enough not to cause any injury when the knee has healed obviously he couldn't comment on her future heath but he didn't seem unduly worried 

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And a month later

[Sasha B]

My Sash damaged her cruciate ligament  about a year ago and ended up with an op. I was dreading the op and all the after care as crate rest was going to be a night mare. Our vet also advised that there was a high chance she would develop arthritis, which has has however I have found with careful management there is little evidence of it. It really only shows up if we have done a long walk or in her case run.

The most important part I would say is weight management. They need to carry as little weight as possible so as not to put extra stain on the legs. I also feed her a food which contains Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM along with giving her Salmon oil daily. She does not require any medication. Sash was only 2 when this happened so still a young and boisterous dog so we really wanted to avoid the arthritis getting worse.

8 months on we have been told she can return to agility so life's pretty much back to normal and it certainly does not seem to hold her back.

Good luck I'm sure everything will be fine I worried myself sick and actually it was not nearly as bad as I thought

[stuffster]

Just to echo what everyone else said. My old dog, Alfie, had a cruciate ligament operation and made a full complete recovery from it, and never went on to develop arthritis in it.

Good luck - fingers and paws crossed for you 

[LurcherGirl]

Today I took her for her first off lead walk where she could have her ball, she loves to chase her ball    We were out for an hour and I threw the ball maybe 5 times and she's been fine   No limping etc so looks like she's over it.

Be careful with throwing a ball especially until the operated leg is fully built up again (you can measure it and see whether it is the same size as the other one - only then the operated leg is back to full strength). It's not so much an issue for the operated leg as that joint should be strong enough to hold, but the other one that may be taking more of the pressure due to the weaker muscles of the operated leg! That is why 50% of dogs with cruciate injuries end up with the second one damaged/ruptured too! By making sure that the operated leg is back to full strength (which I wouldn't assume it is after just 4 months), that risk can be reduced.

And I have to admit, my lurcher will never be allowed again to chase a ball outside (only inside for very short distances where he can't build up speed) as it is just too high a risk that the other cruciate will snap! Not a risk that I am willing to take. That is however the only restriction I impose on him exercise-wise.

[JaspersMum]

If you have laminate/tiled floors, cut down on the risk of further injury by putting down runners/mats too.  Even if it turned out not to be cruciate, it will still help if the potential to slip reduced