Jumping for a treat, running for a ball, turning quickly in motion to bring you back that stick… dogs rely on healthy knees for many of the activities they love. A cruciate ligament tear can bring all this action to a halt and leave your dog in pain.
Here’s how to spot the signs of a cranial cruciate ligament tear, and how you can support your pooch through tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery.
What is a cruciate ligament tear?
Have you ever watched a netballer pivot suddenly, without breaking their stride? They owe this fancy footwork to the cruciate ligament in the knee, which helps them rapidly stop or change direction. Dogs, too, rely heavily on the cranial cruciate ligament (or CCL, which is the doggy equivalent of the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in humans) to help them change direction and pivot.
Your dog has two cruciate ligaments in each of its knees on the back legs. These ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue attaching the bones above and below the knee joint, helping the joint to work like a hinge. The cruciate ligaments start from opposite sides of the knee joint, then form a cross in the middle (fun fact: ‘cruciate’ means ‘to cross over’) as they extend to the opposite side of the joint. There is both a cranial and a caudal cruciate ligament. When those ligaments become stretched or torn, the result is a partial or full cruciate ligament tear. It causes pain, lameness and arthritis.
What causes a cruciate ligament tear?
While cruciate ligament tears in humans are usually due to injury, that’s less likely to be the cause of dog cruciate ligament tears. Most of the time, it happens because the ligaments get weaker and degenerate over time through physical activity and stress on the knee.
In dogs, the cranial cruciate ligament is the ligament that tears and leads to dysfunction most commonly. Dogs can develop tears of both the cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments, but this is often associated with significant trauma to the knee.
There are a few factors that can increase your dog’s likelihood of developing a cruciate ligament tear:
- Breed – rottweilers, staffys, mastiffs, Saint Bernards and Labradors are more likely to develop this issue
- Old age
- Being obese
- Genetics – some Newfoundland dogs have been shown to have a higher inherited risk
- Other knee problems, such as medial patella luxation (MPL).
Unfortunately, if your dog has a cranial cruciate ligament tear there’s a 50% chance they’ll develop the same issue in the other back leg.
What are the signs of a cruciate ligament tear?
The main sign of a torn knee ligament is when your dog is having trouble walking on a back leg. It might be a short-term thing that happens after a burst of activity, or it might be an ongoing issue where your dog is no longer able to put their full weight on that leg. Your dog might also be less active and have trouble rising or jumping. If the tear is caused by an injury, there may be swelling or pain when you touch the knee.
Unfortunately, without treatment, the ligament tear will continue to get worse, so it’s important to see your vet as soon as you notice signs of a possible cruciate ligament tear.
How is a cruciate ligament tear treated?
In most cases surgery is the go-to treatment. There are a few different surgeries for cranial cruciate ligament tears, but research shows tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) is the best option for most dogs, especially for larger breed dogs that are young and active.
What is TPLO surgery?
TPLO stands for tibial plateau levelling osteotomy – a bit of a mouthful, but it’s one of the most effective surgeries for dogs with a torn cruciate ligament. Instead of trying to repair the ligament itself, the surgery changes the angle of the knee joint so it can work properly without it. This involves cutting the shin bone, rotating it slightly and securing it with a metal plate and screws. It sounds intense, but it’s a common and well-practised procedure. Most dogs stay at the vet clinic for a night or two afterwards for pain relief, and many are already starting to use the leg again by the time they go home. From there, recovery is slow and steady – but with the right support, most dogs are back on all fours in just a few months.
How can I help my dog recover from TPLO surgery?
It’s a long road to recovery after TPLO surgery, but the recovery rates are high.
As your vet will explain, your dog may need crate rest, and you’ll need to restrict their activity for six to eight weeks – meaning no running or jumping – but they should be back to full function within three months. They’ll also be given pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Once X-Rays are repeated to ensure that the bone has healed you may gradually return your pet to full activity.
Your vet will give you advice on exercises for rehabilitation, including controlled walking, and might recommend physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.
How can I look after my dog’s joints?
Having a cruciate ligament tear increases your dog’s chances of arthritis, even if they’ve had TPLO surgery. But you can help keep your dog’s joints healthy by:
- Keeping their weight under control
- Giving them joint supplements
- Regular low-impact exercise (talk to your vet for personalised advice).
