Torn Alc?

[MisserGil]

I have an adopter who was told her hound tore his ALC and they would have to operate... Anyone have any success without operations??? Just trying to get all the options here for them..

[BrGreyhndz]

How did they determine it was a tear? Is it a full tear?

 

Nate had a partial tear of his ACL and we treated it with rest and homeopathy. It took several weeks of rest and onlead walking to rehab the injury but he had a full recovery and was able to do the rather daunting and steep stair in our newly purchased house for a year before we lost him to cancer.

[MisserGil]

I will have to ask if its a full tear...

[Guest mleg2001]

A period of very strict rest sometimes works depending on the amount of damage, with surgery a very strict and long rest afterward is required, there is a very high risk of arthritis and odds for full recovery is around 80%. When I was looking at this option with Callie my vet wanted me to go to the very best equipped surgeon, , the surgery may consist of creating artificial ligaments, in some cases they may want to cut rotate the bone or even do something called tibial plateau leveling, having a vet that has the ability to do the widest range of surgeries can make a big difference in the success depending on what they find once they get in there and the size and activity level of the dog itself, the price between the 2 surgeons was considerably different. Unfortunately cancer was found in her leg as we were doing the pre-op testing, so that is as much as I can say about it.

 

Back then I did find a wonderful website that showed all the different possibile surgery options but can't find it now

Edited March 25, 2005 by mleg2001

[onrushpam]

We just finished rehab on a dog with this injury.

Our vets used a technique where fascia from a muscle is used to replace/strengthen the ligament. Several weeks of leash-walking, then gradual return to activity allowed time for the repair to heal. She did great!

[Guest LynnM]

What Pam said.... it's an older technique that's somewhat fallen out of favor more because of the HUGE scar that it leaves than the functionality of the repair. In a short coated dog, it's that scar isn't much of an issue, and it's a fix that will hold up way better to heavy exercise than some other repair techniques.

 

Lynn

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

I had a GSD that had a partial tear of the ACL. Had it operated on and she was toeing it down as she came out of surgery.

 

Also quite some time ago we did have a grey with a partial tear of the ACL took him to the same vet that did my GSD and out come was great.

 

Both of those were partial tears though.

[grey8greys]

My girl had a partial tear last October. We did eight weeks of complete crate rest during the day while I was at work, She had free roam of the house at night when I was home. No walking except to go potty, than right back into the house and no stairs. She was not allowed to jump on the furniture or bed. After eight weeks she was allowed to slowly get back into her routine of walks, but no running for another four weeks. It seemed forever but she healed very well and her knee is as good as new. And we did not have to have surgery.

[Guest lauri]

My friends' choclate Lab had to have both ACLs repaired. Dog's doing fine!

[stlgrey]

Our Golden had a torn ACL a few years ago. It was misdiagnosed by several vets until we took her to another vet. She had her knee repaired by an orthopedic vet and recovered just fine. She needed some one on one care for about 48 hours after since she couldn't weightbear very well, but she managed with me helping her through it. She recovered just fine.

[Guest Zelante]

I work at a canine rehabilitation center and we see ACL tears daily. It is the most common injury that we see by far. Most dogs do end up having surgery. Unfortunately there is still a 50% chance that they will tear the other ACL down the road but Rehab really helps to decrease this percentage.

 

The majority of the dogs do very well post-op with the appropriate rehab. The problems we see are usually when owners allow too much freedom too fast. We have had a few dogs come in with partial tears whose owners opted to not undergo surgery. For some it worked beautifully and others ended up having surgery in the end anyway.

 

Good luck!

[Guest rrkingmccue]

My whippet tore both ACLs, six months apart. The first went undiagnosed as something else. The second, we went to a vet that diagnosed both. He didn't rule out surgery, but, based on her recovery from the first ACL tear, didn't think surgery was neccessary. He said arthritis was a concern, but at 10 years old, her recovery time from the surgery would be six months. I chose to "wait and see". The vet said it was never too late to operate if need be. At this point in time (a year and a half after the second tear), she is doing great. Runs, plays, and even jumps on the bed and into my 4-wheel drive truck. Her stride's not real pretty, but it gets the job done and she appears pain-free!

[Guest gleigh78]

Hi everybody, I'm new here. I'm the one whose grey (Charlie) supposedly tore his ACL... I say supposedly because now I'm not convinced that he did. The day before and the day of his vet visit, he wasn't putting any weight on it at all, but he did still have enough energy that I was worried he'd hurt himself further. The vet laid him down on a blanket and felt both of his back legs. He cried out when she touched his right knee. She didn't tell me whether it was a full or partial tear, and I didn't think to ask... She prescribed Deramaxx for pain and rest for a week while I decided what to do. She said if it were her dog, she'd probably choose surgery. But the next day, Charlie was only limping off and on, and ever since then, he's been walking on all fours, except he is definitely a little stiff. I've kept our leash walks short, but he's an excitable, happy dog, so it's hard to keep him down. I have a crate in my bedroom, and I leave its door open all the time. Charlie's the only one of my three dogs who goes in there, but it's never very often. He'll only go in on his own; if I ever prod him, he gets upset. So I don't think I could crate him.

 

I have an appointment with another vet for a second opinion. I was also told I should take him to an orthopedic surgeon for an opinion. Does anybody have any other ideas on what it could be, or what to do for him? You've all been really helpful already. It made me feel better to see that others have gone through it and that everything came out OK!

[Guest Mollysmom]

I just went through this with Molly. When I got Molly, they said she had a slight limp -- I took her to the university Vet Hospital and they wanted to do all these very expensive tests, my Vet said it was definately the ACL - and then I took her to another hospital and they figured out that it was a torn Medial Meniscus. I did a lot of research on the torn cruciate and the rehab is pretty long -- and depending on if it is partially or completely torn, it can be pretty stressful on the poor dog.

They had no idea that it was the meniscus until she went under -- the re-hab went from 4 months to 4-6 weeks. One thing that they told me was -- once the dog has surgery on a knee, the chances of another injury is pretty high, so Molly won't be doing a lot of running any time soon -- poor thing.

Molly was fine walking on her leg after a while, she seemed to learn to over-compensate, but it didn't mean that it was better, it gradually got worse, so get it taken care of early if you can!

Let us know what happens! Good luck.

[MisserGil]

Hi everybody, I'm new here. I'm the one whose grey (Charlie) supposedly tore his ACL... I say supposedly because now I'm not convinced that he did. The day before and the day of his vet visit, he wasn't putting any weight on it at all, but he did still have enough energy that I was worried he'd hurt himself further. The vet laid him down on a blanket and felt both of his back legs. He cried out when she touched his right knee. She didn't tell me whether it was a full or partial tear, and I didn't think to ask... She prescribed Deramaxx for pain and rest for a week while I decided what to do. She said if it were her dog, she'd probably choose surgery. But the next day, Charlie was only limping off and on, and ever since then, he's been walking on all fours, except he is definitely a little stiff. I've kept our leash walks short, but he's an excitable, happy dog, so it's hard to keep him down.    I have a crate in my bedroom, and I leave its door open all the time. Charlie's the only one of my three dogs who goes in there, but it's never very often. He'll only go in on his own; if I ever prod him, he gets upset. So I don't think I could crate him.

 

I have an appointment with another vet for a second opinion. I was also told I should take him to an orthopedic surgeon for an opinion. Does anybody have any other ideas on what it could be, or what to do for him? You've all been really helpful already. It made me feel better to see that others have gone through it and that everything came out OK!

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Hi Gretchen... Glad to see you posted about Charlie. He is the one I started this thread about so hopefully you can get some good information here.. I agree wtih the second opinion for him. Never know.... I spoke with someone who didn't need surgery and only used rehab.. I am waiting to hear back from her as well.. Talk with you later..

Gil

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Vinnie has a torn whip muscle. I'm thinking that's not the same as the ACL. Is that right?

[Guest mleg2001]

Vinnie has a torn whip muscle. I'm thinking that's not the same as the ACL. Is that right?

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The Ligaments are whitish coloured bands attached by either end to the bones that hold the joints together allowing and controlling how much they can move and turn, I think if my memory is correct there is 3 for the knee, 2 on either side and one that is inside between the 2 bones.

 

So a whip muscle would be something different

Edited March 29, 2005 by mleg2001

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Thanks MAria

[Guest gleigh78]

So I was wondering how do I come across a board certified orthopedic surgeon? I saw that there is a list going of veterinarians that grey people recommend, but there's nothing listed so far in Virginia. Searching the Internet is exhausting... Charlie sees the second opinion vet on Thursday, the soonest they could get him in.

 

Charlie slipped out into the backyard today when I let my other two out, and ran circles around me for 15 minutes. Wasn't limping at all, until he finally stopped and I was able to get him inside. He wasn't limping that badly though. There really is no keeping that dog down... I wonder if he needs a sedative? I've felt so bad for him since all this started, because he looks like he wants to run and play so bad!

[Guest 2deer1cow]

Whisper tore his ACL and it took months to heal. He was very resitricted and leash walked. He was given pain medication and had to take prednizone for a month due to the swelling. He did recover though EVENTUALLY and now is back to 100%. He went to the expensive vet hospital but the only appointment we could get took three weeks and by then they said to just keep doing what we were doing and he should be fine. It was hard work for everyone, Whisper especially, but he came through just fine.

[Stoney]

One of our group dogs came to us with a torn ALC. It was repaired and, last I heard, is healing nicely with no problems. As I'm not close with the adoptive family, I don't know the specifics of the surgery or recovery period.

[MisserGil]

So I was wondering how do I come across a board certified orthopedic surgeon? I saw that there is a list going of veterinarians that grey people recommend, but there's nothing listed so far in Virginia. Searching the Internet is exhausting... Charlie sees the second opinion vet on Thursday, the soonest they could get him in.

 

Charlie slipped out into the backyard today when I let my other two out, and ran circles around me for 15 minutes.    Wasn't limping at all, until he finally stopped and I was able to get him inside. He wasn't limping that badly though. There really is no keeping that dog down... I wonder if he needs a sedative? I've felt so bad for him since all this started, because he looks like he wants to run and play so bad! 

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Gretchen... Check at the VRCC (Virginia Referral and Critical Care) here in Richmond.. They have performed surgery on other dogs of ours with success. The surgeons there are highly recommended.

[Guest gleigh78]

Charlie and I just got back from the second opinion vet, and I feel like I'm in better hands now... This vet made me feel totally at ease and seemed more knowledgeable... he and his wife, who works there as well, have 2 greys, so that was a plus!

 

He said he agreed that it is most likely a torn ACL, and he referred me to a surgeon here who he says does great work, Dr. Evzan Burian in Va. Beach. Anybody know of him? Charlie and I have an appointment for a consultation with him on Monday. Then I'm going on a trip -- hiking on the Appalachian Trail for four days, yikes! -- so if he also recommends surgery, it'll have to wait till I'm back and can take care of him.

[Guest cappysue]

I have a friend that just had ACL surgery on her grey. The ACL was completely torn. What kind of rehab would be good for her. I know there's a chance the other leg could have the same problem with time. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks, Diane

 

 

 

Our Golden had a torn ACL a few years ago. It was misdiagnosed by several vets until we took her to another vet. She had her knee repaired by an orthopedic vet and recovered just fine. She needed some one on one care for about 48 hours after since she couldn't weightbear very well, but she managed with me helping her through it. She recovered just fine.

 

 

 

[Guest greytexplorer]

I have NO acl's in either of my knees. My ortho surgeon said that you only need 2 or 3 ligaments to walk, so he did not recommend surgery for me.

 

My cat tore his acl also. No surgery for him either. That was 3 years ago.

 

Don't know how similar dog acl's and cat acl's and human acl's are, but I just thought that I would add my 2 pennies.