Muscle sprain on hind leg

[Thatcher]

I brought my 3-year old Thatcher home for the holidays where she has a big yard to run around in (and she runs like mad). I noticed that she started carrying her left hind leg up a bit and over the next few hours she doesn't want to stand on it at all. It is so depressing seeing her quiet and in bed since she is usually so full of life. She let's me touch the leg and manipulate it and it doesn't seem to feel too differently from her other leg. Any thoughts on what to do? I figure I would wait it out for 24 hours and see if it looks better otherwise take her in for an xray.
Should I be icing her? Giving her a low-dose aspirin?

 

[Jan]

It sounds like a torn ACL. You need to get her to the vet to have it properly diagnosed.

Good luck!

 

[Thatcher]

torn ACL - surgery options?

You were right. After a trip to the vet they diagnosed it as such. My next dilemma is what type of surgery. I was told there is the traditional surgery (with the metal plate and screws), and another type that basically uses suchering with 80-lb thread. I am apt to go with the less invasive type (suchers) since she is only abt 55lbs. She is 3years old though and want to make sure the surgery lasts and gives her relief. thankfully she doesn't appear to be in any pain. Any thoughts on best surgery?

 

[Jan]

I would probably go with the less invasive surgery myself. My Brother-in laws dog, Riley partially tore her ACL a few months ago. He chose not to do surgery and Riley's recovery has been amazing with just medication. Riley has gone from not putting any weight on her leg at all to almost running around normally. She will probably get Arthritis in the knee. That may happen whether you have surgery or not. Riley is much older at 7 years. I would think that with a younger dog surgery would be a better option.

Good luck!

 

[cooper22]

Thanks for this post - I am also wondering about conservative management for dogs with partially torn ACL's. Jan - Did your relative do strict rest for the dog or just let her be naturally and let the ACL heal? I have been reading a lot about ACL injuries in dogs and it seems that dogs undergo surgery five times as much as humans so I am just wondering if you can manage dogs without surgery and have decent results? Iam not saying that surgery is not a good option for some dogs, but I am also wondering about conservative management. Thank you.

 

[Jan]

Riley wasn't confined to a crate or anything, but he didn't take her if he thought she would run around too much. He put runners on the floor so that she wouldn't slide around too much. Riley actually would restrict her activity herself to some extend. Sometimes, when she was staying with us, she would choose to stay home and chew on her bone rather than come for a walk. That didn't last long though. She doesn't seem to run as much as she used to, but she still runs around a lot and you can barely notice that she is a limps.

 

[Fabbidavisjr]

Partially torn

Hey my pup is 4 months in to conservative management for a partially torn acl.....We are now in the muscle building stage as she lost a lot of muscle in the first month of non activity....We didn't take her out of the house for a month....Then 5 minute leash walks then 10 minutes, etc etc etc...We still only do leash walks up to 1 hours she's doing stairs now to build power....She only limps when we first start walking if its really cold out besides that she's fine..Pretty sure the reaction to the cold is early signs of Arthritis......

Keep in mind this was a partially torn acl and not a full tear....she has gotten off a leash a couple times which I almost had a heart attack as of course the first chance she got she had to boxer burn...Her knee held up ok...I'm being caution going to wait a 4 more months to build muscle to stabilize that joint, before letting her resume somewhat normal activity....Good luck I've heard great stories on the TPLO especially for young dogs who can build the muscle back up fast......Either way you choose they're will be a lot of patience and strick guidelines to follow.

 

[TwoDogs]

They do make stabilizing knee braces for dogs suffering from ACL tears. Has anyone out there used one before and, if so, with what results?

 

[cooper22]

I was actually wondering as well about the knee braces I have heard about for dogs. I hear from some people that they work really well and then some say not so much. Has anyone tried them here?