Pet Points: Treating torn knee ligaments in dogs
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Many student and professional athletes are going through surgery and rehabilitation for knee ligament injuries as sports seasons come to a close. Just a few weeks ago, Pittsburgh Penguins' center Evgeni Malkin ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that will keep him out of the lineup for the rest of the season. Skiers are also prone to this injury.
While pets frequently injure their ACLs while running, jumping or doing other athletic activities, some of these injuries occur with only moderate exercise and may be due to underlying problems in the knee joint, or concurrent medical conditions.
Overweight dogs are more susceptible to this injury, and conditions such as Cushing's syndrome (an excess of cortisone in the body) can also weaken the ligaments and make a dog more prone to injury. The cruciate ligaments permit the knee to be stable while allowing bending as a hinge joint. When dogs overstress this ligament, it can slowly fray or completely tear.
Dogs with this injury visit the veterinarian because they are not bearing weight on the hind leg or with a light toe touching. When we examine a dog for this injury, the crucial test is to see if the tibia and femur abnormally shift forward and back on each other. This is known as cranial drawer motion. Certain breeds are more commonly seen with this injury such as retrievers, mastiffs, Newfoundlands, RottÂweilers and many smaller breeds.
After making a diagnosis, the veterinarian will help the client determine the need for surgery in their pet. In many cases surgical stabilization is most appropriate to prevent severe arthritis from developing in the joint over time. The younger and larger the dog the more critical it is to surgically stabilize the joint. An athletic dog will also require surgery in order to regain full function.
My own dog, Vern, was older when he ruptured his ACL. Due to his other health issues we did not do surgery on him. Vern had a history of severe kidney disease and also had severe elbow dysplasia. He regained some function in his leg but continued to limp. However, he did reach the typical lifespan for a Bernese mountain dog. His "sister" Vicky was an active Jack Russell. She tore her ACL running with other dogs at the park. After surgery she regained full function and was active for many years.
First Published February 19, 2011 12:00 am
