- Services
- We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
WARNING
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
The rupture of the cruciate ligament is the most common knee injury in the dog.
This injury has two common presentations. One is the young athletic dog playing roughly who acutely ruptures the ligament and is non-weight bearing on the affected hind leg. The second presentation is the older, overweight dog with weakened or partially torn ligaments that rupture with a slight misstep. In this patient the lameness may be acute or there may be more subtle chronic lameness related to prolonged joint instability.
Your veterinarian will perform an orthopedic exam and take radiographs (x-rays) in order to diagnose this injury. The orthopedic exam involves an analysis of the gait, examination of the joint for swelling and/or pain and the presence of "drawer movement" (the presence of forward instability of the knee joint). Sedation is often required to do an adequate evaluation of the knee, especially in large dogs. Sedation prevents the pet from tensing the muscles and temporarily stabilizing the joint and preventing the demonstration of the drawer sign. Radiographs confirm inflammatory changes in the joint and establish the level of osteoarthritic changes present.
Surgical repair is recommended in most cases to stabilize the joint and prevent further osteoarthritic changes secondary to the joint instability. There are three primary types of surgical repair: intracapsular, extracapsular, and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). The type of surgical repair will be determined by the size, age and activity level of the pet as well as the degree of osteoarthritis already present in the joint. The recovery time and recommendation for physical therapy will depend on the type of surgical repair performed.
Exclusive Offer
FREE Nail Trim! An $11 value - just mention the webpage!
Sign-up using the form or call us at 406-522-9491 to take advantage of this exclusive offer.
Office Hours
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Monday | 8:30am | 5:30pm |
Tuesday | 8:30am | 5:30pm |
Wednesday | 8:30am | 5:30pm |
Thursday | 8:30am | 5:30pm |
Friday | 8:30am | 5:30pm |
Saturday | Closed | Closed |
Sunday | Closed | Closed |
Day | Open | Close | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
8:30am | 8:30am | 8:30am | 8:30am | 8:30am | Closed | Closed |
5:30pm | 5:30pm | 5:30pm | 5:30pm | 5:30pm | Closed | Closed |
Testimonial
So impressed with how Sue and Cara cared for our dog Fritz for many years until he passed away at age 15 in February. The two dogs we currently have are also so lucky to see Sue and Cara.
What can we help you find?