cruciate ligamnet

cazza1968

Hi all, we have a 7yr old springer spaniel. After a couple of weeks limping when walking, the vet thinks his cruciate ligament has "gone". They are going to take him in on monday for x-rays and if it is then they will operate same day. The vet says he then has to be crate rested for 5-6 weeks, has anyone had any experience with a springer and this op. Part of me thinks it is going to be so cruel to keep him caged when he is such a mad dog. typical springer, sleeps upstairs with us, walks for miles doesnt sit still unless he is asleep!
we are going on holiday in 3 weeks as well, do you think the kennels will be able to cope with him like that.
I am just hoping that when they take the x-rays on monday its not as bad as they thought.........

orlao

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1154603

Have a look at this thread....it's from last year but should answer most of your questions. :beer:

TBH, If possible I'd postpone the op until after your holiday....I always feel that they need their home comforts when poorly.....yes, I know I'm soft!:rotfl:

cazza1968

Thanks for that link, i'm useless at searching. I'm undecided what to do, have spoken to the kennels and they said they would still accept him, but if it was their dog, they would be tempted to leave it for a while to see if it gets any worse. Is there anything I can give him, supplements wise. He already has cod liver oil tablets..

Waterfalls

the analogy i give client reguarding the cruciate ligament is;

imagin a cart on a hill, to prevent it falling down the hill, it is staked to the ground via a piece of rope.(the rope represents the cruciate ligament, the cart and the hill are the bones above and below the joint, both being held/cruciate ligament). If the rope is cut, the cart will fall down the hill and become unstable - does this make sense? apoligies if it doesnt.

in other words rest alone wont fix an already steep tibial plateau etc, and surgical intervention will be needed, but is not a problem to wait a few weeks until ur back from ur hoilday
http://www.thvs.co.uk/cruciate.pdf
this is our client fact sheet - hope u find it of some use. and rty not to worry,it is a surprising common condition

Joyful

I would definitely not leave your dog to recover in kennels. Have the op done after your holidays so that you can be with him. Don't think of the cage as being cruel. It would be so much worse if the dog had to undergo the op a second time due to injury.

maisiescamp

We have a staffie that snapped her cruciate ligament and had to have an op We were just told she had to rest so we set up an old mattress in the dining room for her with a blanket and she was more than happy to lay down there.

Sadly she has never been the same since and can no longer tolerate walking on pavements and cannot run with other dogs, if she does either then she limps for days. One thing that has helped is a daily 'flexi-joints' vitamin.

Good luck and hope your dog recovers well.

MaximumImpact

My 14 stone mastiff bust her ligament. She has had a TPLO and was up and doing gentle walking within 2 days. My vet gave me an exercise programme for her following the op and I am glad to say that it was a complete success.

Good luck.

cazza1968

Ok so we are keeping the appointment for the x-rays on monday, but have told the vet to not do the operation if he needs it until we come back from holiday. I keep thinking that if he has damaged this ligament would he not be complaining about it? whining or yelping or something. Since yesterday morning, he hasn't limped once, so maybe he has just slightly damaged it and it wont need an operation ( she prays!)
Am keeping him in no walks until monday.....

JCR

Hi, how did the x-rays go. I only ask as the same thing is happening to my 5 year old golden retriever. He started limping but still lively and jumping around, not complaining at all. Took him to the vets who said that it could be the cruciate but give it two weeks and metacam. He was still limping slightly two weeks later when went back to vet. They then said it would be necessary to x-ray him and have him put under in order that they could test his joints while he was totally relaxed. So £300 later after his x-rays they couldn't really tell me anything other than to say that they didn't think it was the cruciate as it was not all floppy as it would be and that his joints were nice and clean (no sign of arthritis). I am therefore none the wiser and he is still limping and on metacam. Have another appointment with vet on 28th May.

Anyway I hope your dog didn't have a cruciate problem. I know this is a common problem but it seems that is the first and only thing that the vets think it is.

getcarter

I'm having a cruciate problem with my staffy.

She wasn't limping, just skipping a leg up every now and then, vets thought it was her patella so referred me to some more expensive vets! CT scan and camera in knee now show some fibres coming off her cruciate. Light exercise and underwater treadmill as he doesn't want to operate unless he needs to (just as well considering she has cost £2,500 so far - hurray for pet insurance!)

cazza1968

Well he still hasnt limped from the day i took him to the vets. They did the x-rays and went through them with my husband when he picked him up. She said he has a slight hip dysplasia, and it looks like a torn cruciate. She said an operation isnt needed at the moment ! however if it was her dog she would never let him off the lead again as it could rupture. So im 500.00 worse off and have a dog that is depressed. I am lead walking him everyday, and he is going into kennels in 10 days time for a week. We will see what he is like when he comes home, but i'm not convinced that he needs to be on the lead all the time. The morning I took him to the vet, he managed to scale an 8ft fence after a cat, and i would have thought if it was going to go, then it would have happened then. Will have to wait and see, am giving him cod liver oil and glucosamine as well.