Laurie's Blogs.

Hi Laurie,

I am seeing 5-year-old overweight yellow lab with torn cruciates in both stifles. The injuries happened few years ago. He used to go to day care and run around full force and injured himself there. Both stifles have crepitus but the left is worse than the right. The right leg is worse on measurements and he slightly favours that leg. There are chronic changes on both stifle joints. He also has minor crepitus in his elbows.  There have been no recent x-rays of stifles. Presently, he does not run around much. He enjoys smelling more.

The owners want to do the best thing now. They are afraid he won’t be around when he is older because of his knees. We feel the most important thing is to keep comfortable. 

Is surgery the best thing for him now? What would be the best for him?

I admit that I get confused with these cases. They seem to walk well and are quite capable. I don’t know that surgery is going to give them more?

I have mixed thoughts...

Thanks

E.

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Hi E.! 

I hate cases like this as well.

I guess in the big picture it comes down to function.  Is he functioning well now, & does he have good quality of life?  Will a surgery improve upon that?

He’s already chronic, so I doubt there is much laxity on drawer testing.

If the joints are chronic and laxity is minimal or non-existent - then I don’t think surgery will do much to help.  Even if he was chronic, had laxity and was well functioning… how much better can surgery make him?

I have seen surgeries done on chronic cruciate injuries & they don’t get ’better’... no cruciate technique will be able to get ride of the arthritis.

If you suspect a meniscal tear - then I would say go in and remove that...

Otherwise, strengthen, joint supplementation, perhaps laser the joints routinely, and no ’wild’ activity, would be my recommendation.  And curse these doggy daycare facilities where they are allowed to be crazy for hours and hours on end.  Great for our business, but hard on dogs!

I hope this helps!

Laurie

Laurie@FourLeg.com