torn ligaments on dogs

[Dugan]

the vet told us 75% come back in 6 months for the next.

I have not found that high a frequency cited in any of the studies that I have reviewed regarding the frequency of injury of the cranial cruciate ligament in the formerly "good" leg. The average range in the studies I have found is within 12 months, 40-50% of dogs with a torn CCL in one leg, are diagnosed with a like injury in the other leg.

Though this is the most common orthopedic injury in dogs, there is little evidence about why the frequency of this type of injury increases so greatly in the opposite leg for dogs who sustain the injury. The most common reasons I have read for this are: over stressing the good leg by favoring the bad leg, deterioration of ligament tissue (unknown cause), continuation of pre-surgical poor athletic habits (if due to a single catastrophic event), and conformation (also unknown, since there is not a proven causative relationship between tibial plateau angles and tear of ccl).

Keep in mind too, that the treatment options do not need to be the same for both legs, nor will the dog necessarily react to the same procedure in the same way.

This is a controverial subject in the dog world, with many accepted treatment options, each of which carries its own set of risks and benefits. There's a lot of information out there accessible to the layperson. Do your homework - what your vet recommends may not be what you think is best.

 

[bubba]

Okay... let's not leave out Baily, the injured. George, give her some loving care and ANYTHING she wants!! Sweet dog. Look forward to helping you finish up the 46th in the year (?) ahead!!!

 

[una_dogger]

Though this is the most common orthopedic injury in dogs, there is little evidence about why the frequency of this type of injury increases so greatly in the opposite leg for dogs who sustain the injury. .

I think this is such an interesting topic and I'm thankful to all who have contributed thier own experience. I think that each dog is an individual and as such so many factors influence the level of risk each dog carries in terms of becoming injured in the first place, recovery times and outcomes, and freqeuncy of secondary compensatory injuries.

I know that I look at all dogs through such a different lens now, seems the more I learn the more I see when observing the movement and structure of dogs I see in motion. I know some pretty poorly put together (though super sweet) dogs who've lead major hiking careers without significant injury and are still hiking, albeit somewhat stiffly, in thier teens; and other prime young dogs who suffer debilitating injuries -- its hard to know why some dogs are injured and equally difficult to judge how to best bring about a traildog -- information sharing serves to help us all better understand and make decisions for our dogs that we are most comfortable with -- thanks again to all who've shared thier experiences here, I've learned alot.

And get well soon, Bailey!