Laurie's Blogs.

I was wondering if I could ask you a quick question. I know you're playing catch-up on your emails and don't want to overload you, but here goes...

I have a 5 month old black lab that was hit by a skier and ruptured a cruciate (the irony, right?).  My concern is that the lack of even weight bearing in the hind end will result in uneven bone growth.  Is it appropriate to get him in a stifle brace until the bones are finished growing and we can do surgery, or am I way off? 

His hips aren't horrid, but they're not the greatest.  His front end is great. No other abnormalities noted on radiographs.

Thanks!

CD

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Hey CD,

So a couple of years ago I had two Aussie Shepherds about 7 months old that both blew their cruciates.  One had a TPLO (I was so worried about it), and the other had an extracap repair (with the thought that it would 'stretch' as the dogs legs grew).

Both did well... the TPLO dog just got her first agility title this past weekend.  The extracap dog continues to have problems... but he was 2 months with a partial prior to surgery, is super loopy and tends to throw his pelvis out, get iliopsoas strains, and just tends to just injure himself in various ways.

All in all, I'd do something - brace or surgery.

If you can manage with a brace... why bother with surgery - the joint will fibrose a bit and not need surgery... or deteriorate, develop OA, and then surgery won't help.

I have one patient that blew is cruciate at 3 months.  They did an extracap and now 9 years later, he's still pulling a sled in the winter months!!

You may have troubles with a brace and a growing dog anyways.

So I'd do surgery - extracapsular repair at minimum... I would lean towards extracap... but like I said the TPLO dog did fabulous!

Sorry... not definitive... but I guess my bottom line is that if it were my patient, I'd push for some sort of surgery in this case.

Good luck!

Laurie