I have a pet nanny who comes in daily, to give meds and take out of her kennel, to potty. Without examining your dog, myself, it is hard to know how best to advise you. Her progress has been slow. For the leg that couldnt get done we invested in a really good brace (Balto Ligatek), you can also get fully custom braces but theyre far more expensive. Hi Mary Kay, If the CCL tears, it prevents a dog from being able to walk properly. This can be painful and negatively impact their well-being if left untreated. [more], NEED HELP? My dog was 53 kg at the time. Hi Alicia, I am glad you are reaching out about how to transition your pup back to normal activity after surgery. Is this normal? They definitely helped.his coat improved and he started healing faster. Attempting to escape from the crate or jump over a baby gate can cause serious injury to a recovering dog. He has never acted like a dog that had a serious surgery. Is your dog calm or super active or somewhere in-between? Unfortunately he became extremely excited one day, decided to jump up on a piece of hard furniture, fell and landed on his recovering leg. (this behaviour is pretty typical of her even before the surgery so we dont think its all pain related) Best wishes! They x-rayed her knees twice and they were fine. Thank you. I live in the Texas Panhandle and his surgery was in Albuquerque, so Im not sure if we have underwater rehab options nearby. cost considerations can also influence owners in electing to perform TPLO surgery in comparison to other treatment options. TPLO surgery involves making a curved cut in the tibia from the front to the back, much like half a smiley face. Yes, it can be common to see knuckling the first few days after surgery. I understand your concern for Dakota and this worrisome popping sound since her TPLO surgery. Dont get any Vet get an Orthopedic Specialist. I took my girl to the vet today and he said he thinks she tore the ACL in the past and the lump we found is a cartilage build-up and arthritis. Without examining her myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. The dribbling could be a sign of another UTI. Ruptured cranial cruciate ligaments in dogs. He appeared to have no strength in either leg and it was difficult to get him up and moving, we used both a harness and a sling to get him up. He rarely runs and is wiped out after a 1 mile walk. crossing my fingers!!!! Night One at home was tough but manageable. Introducing Dr. Buzbys Encore Mobility joint supplement for senior dogs. A TPLO surgery changes the angle of the joint so that the sliding motion of the bones is not as prevalent, but there is still no ligament present to connect the two bones as the cruciate ligament did originally. Unfortunately, cruciate ligament tears usually occur because of degenerative changes that are genetic. He is an 8 year old lab cross. Her appetite is poor; she will not eat her regular kibble and Ive taken to cleaning out the freezer and mixing her kibble with cut up chicken, beef, pork or fish. If theres a tear in the cartilage, they could decide to repair it, remove only the damaged part, or remove the whole thing. Wishing you and Cyrus all the best! But, animals, like us, get older and often have mobility challenges. She can stand up on her own, but not easily, and she will often scoot on her butt to move. Hi Stephanie, He also has difficulty squatting to poop, and will knuckle or hold the leg put straight. Hi Joyce, Sometimes is does just take a couple days for a dog to figure things out after surgery. Her recovery seems to be going fairly well. I will say that I tend to recommend them in very few cases. Keep her crated in a super secure crate she cant get out of even when youre home. I hate seeing him like this and I blame myself for this happening, but he was doing so well for the longest time and its been 5 months since he had gotten the surgery done. The dog owners guide to TPLO surgery. However, I have noticed that her surgery leg tends to push outward at the knee a bit when she puts too much weight on it.