SURGICAL

In the knee joint, the cranial (anterior) and caudal (posterior) cruciate ligaments stabilise the stifle. If one of these ligaments is torn or ruptured, the joint becomes unstable leading to movement of the femur with respect to the tibia, this can cause injuries to the meniscal cartilage of the knee joint and significant pain which leads to lameness.
Lame dogs require examination by your veterinarian who will check for instability and pain in the knee joint as well as other areas of the affected leg. If an injury or rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament is suspected, your veterinarian will recommend x-rays to be conducted to help confirm the diagnosis.

For evaluation of cruciate ligament disease, it is important to obtain high quality digital x-rays to support the diagnosis, to accurately plan any potential surgery and to determine if there are any concurrent problems such as osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia. To facilitate correct positioning and to allow further examination of the joint with the muscles of the leg completely relaxed, the x-rays are taken whilst the dog is under a general anaesthetic.
If your dog is diagnosed with a cranial cruciate ligament injury, surgery is usually required. Cruciate repair surgery is routinely performed at Sydney Animal Hospitals. The specific procedure will depend on your dog’s breed, weight, activity level, age and anatomical measurements of the knee joint (done utilising orthopaedic planning software). The most critical measurements are the tibial plateau angle and the size and degree of rotation of the tibial fragment required to correct the deficient cranial cruciate ligament.

Given there are different surgical treatment options available depending on the patient, one of our veterinarians will explain the treatment management plan most appropriate to you and your pet’s individual needs. For many pets a Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) is the treatment of choice to correct cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

What Happens After Surgery?