Dog Ligament Surgery

Tearing a cruciate ligament can be just as painful in dogs as it is in humans.



In fact of the dog is older, already is suffering from arthritis or is overweight then there is a high probability of the dog tearing its ligaments in even both the hind legs. Similarly if a younger dog is playing and tends to land incorrectly on its back leg while jumping then it is possible to tear the cruciate ligament as well.



The goal of any treatment for a torn or damaged dog ligament is to increase mobility and use and also to alleviate pain. Some of the factors that the doctor and the dog owner should keep in mind while deciding the type of treatment for the torn dog ligament are age, size, health, cost, ability of the owner to comply with the aftercare requirements post treatment etc.



The conservative treatment for dog ligament injury is known to be less expensive than dog ligament surgery cost and the owner also has a less rigorous compliance as compared to post dog ligament surgery. The conservative treatment is more suitable for dogs with pre-existing medical problems and also dogs that are older.  

Dog ligament surgery is usually performed on healthy dogs and requires a combination of owner compliance and an experienced surgeon for proper healing post surgery. The conservative treatment for dog ligament surgery includes rest, weight control, medication which may also be combined with dog ligament surgery. Dog ligament surgery cost may vary from $600 to $3,000 depending on the type of surgical method used. The different types of dog ligament surgeries that can be performed in case of a ligament tear include the extra capsular suture which is  a fairly conventional surgical treatment wherein the suture is placed in such a way that is performs the function of the cruciate ligament by providing support. The other types of surgeries are Tibia Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, Tibia Tuberosity Advancement and Fibular Head Transposition. Dog ligament surgery recovery mostly takes almost 16 weeks wherein the dog should be allowed to rest and should also be given some amount of physical therapy to help it mobilize the joint. The dog ligament surgery recovery time is relatively higher because ligaments are typically made up of collagen and tend to have a poor blood supply hence their healing also takes a longer time as compared to other tissues in the body.

You can also read on dog hind leg injury and