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Posted by Mandy on 7/11/2008, 9:25 pm, in reply to "ACL"
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Hey Miss Patty! So sorry to hear about Kota. Did the surgeon mention what type of repair he recommends for Kota? We do 2 types- the regular extracapsular "fishing line" type and the TPLO. The TPLO is way more expensive, but has a better rate of success. A normal dog is looking at 8 wks recovery time with return to normal function in around 3 months. I would highly recommend rehab with an underwater treadmill if you have one nearby.
ACL tears are usually diagnosed with manipulation- did your surgeon say anything about "positive drawer"? They will occasionally take x-rays to look for joint damage, but my vets usually can tell in their exam.
If they think it's not a full tear, it may be worth it to put him on strict rest and see if it heals- I've seen this happen with a lot of dogs, including my mom's! Funny story you'll appreciate- when my Riley was a teenager, he picked up my mom's standard schnauzer by her back leg (in play) and partially tore her acl!! She was immediately lame, we took her up to my work, and they gave us the same options you have. We chose the conservative approach, and she recovered fully. Knock on wood, she's an old girl now and has never had problems with that leg or the opposite, either.
Best of luck with your decision- let me know if you need any more info!! Give a kiss to that Kota boy for me.
Mandy
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