CCL injuries

CCL Tears TightRope Repair: My Two Cents on the TightRope® CCL Fixation System

The TightRope fixation technique is an update on the traditional suture repair. The modifications were to address concerns about safety, effectiveness, and availability of the surgical CCL repairs available at the time. The TightRope fixation differs from the traditional suture stabilization in the following ways: stronger material bone anchors TightRope versus extracapsular repair Extracapsular repair The traditional suture repair achieves…

by Jana Rade

Preventing CCL/ACL Tears in Dogs: How to Keep Your Dog from Busting Their Cruciate Ligament

Among the most frequent injuries and causes of hind limb lameness in dogs are cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears, also referred to as ruptures. These occur in the hind limb, at the knee (stifle joint). I am frequently contacted to provide consultation services and treatment for CCL tears, both partial and full. Is there a way to prevent CCL/ACL tears…

by Susan E. Davis PT

CCL Injuries Extracapsular Repair: My Two Cents on the Lateral Suture Stabilization or LSS in Dogs

The extracapsular repair or LSS is the oldest surgical technique in use for the treatment of dog CCL tears. The procedure comes under several names. Along with the terms I already introduced, if your veterinarian refers to a traditional technique, or external capsular repair technique (ECLS), they are all the same thing. Different surgeons might use various modifications of the…

by Jana Rade

Canine Full CCL Tears: Treatment Options for Full Cruciate Ligament Tears

Darn, your dog’s cruciate ligament has ruptured completely. “A full tear,” explains the vet, causing a bolt of hot lightning to shoot up your spine. Is it time to panic? If finances are a problem, maybe (more on this a bit later). The best thing to do is face facts and adopt a ‘knowledge is power’ attitude. What is the…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Physical Therapy for Full CCL Tears

After surgery, physical therapy for full CCL tears should begin upon removal of the sutures, at 10-14 days post-op. You should get instructions from the surgeon on what to do during those first two weeks. Physical therapy for full CCL tears weeks 2-6 During weeks two through six, the dog should start to bear weight on the limb and take…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of America, and an award-winning author in my spare time. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Endless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care into my own hands. I learned the hard way that simply seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to finally get a diagnosis for her initial issue. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to use 20 years of hard-earned experience to save others from the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way, as I did.

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