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Originally Posted by Chocaholic
Yes it is. Really appreciated!
Dr. Dogface. . .just curious how this would happen. Murphy is a mutt. We did a DNA test on him when he was a pup and it turned up roughly 70% Lab, 20% Boxer, 10% Chow. He's young, strong, muscular and active. I can't imagine this just happened out playing in the yard...and to both legs (perhaps too much rough-housing with our Mastiff pup?). Could it be congenital? Would the proper repair be permanent? Safe to assume he'll deal with arthritis, etc? He's a great pup and we saved him from the gas chamber once, so not giving up on him now. Interested in your thoughts.
Thanks to all for input.
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Google TPLO, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteomy.
According to my Orthopedic Surgeon if the angle of the knee exceeds a certain degree it allows the femur to move too far snapping the ACL.
That's why they typically tear both either at the same time or eventually. He told us that the dogs he sees usually have one full and one partial tear.
I was told that it was possible to diagnose dogs with a predisposition.
I witnessed our dog tear both. She went charging after something in the yard and pulled up hard at the fence line and boom, came back limping. Same exact thing a year apart.
What the TPLO does is fix the angle that the femur sits on the tibia pretty much eliminating the need for an ACL all together.
After the recovery they tend to look a bit bowlegged and their gait is altered but it does not limit them in any way.
It's a bit traumatic for us owners but for a large dog it's really the only permanent solution.
A few people on this board have had it done and I don't recall anyone regretting it.
Good luck, that's a handsome looking pooch.