A torn ACL, also called CCL, (Anterior Cruciate Ligament or Cranial Cruciate Ligament) is one of the most common injuries to a dog’s knee. Tears often occur over time, or can be sudden after your pet twists its knee wrong when jumping, running, or rough housing. Symptoms include a sudden lameness in the rear leg with or without pain. After we suspect a torn ACL on a physical exam, we perform a sedated orthopedic exam and radiographs to evaluate the hips and both knees. If surgery is warranted, we discuss the options of seeing an orthopedic specialist, having surgery done at our clinic, or using medicine to help with the limp.
At Boonville Animal Hospital we use a technique called an extracapsular repair to fix all sizes of dogs with torn ACLs. This is Dr. Glade’s favorite surgery to perform, and he has received extensive training on this procedure over the years. We use special Orthofiber to tie a knot around the knee taught to us by the late Dr. Herron. This technique has been very successful at our clinic, and we have been very pleased with the results for many years. If you have a dog who is limping on its rear leg, or a pet with a diagnosed torn ACL, please give us a call to talk to us about surgery options.