Cruciate Ligament

[anniejac]

My Staffy had her Cruciate Ligament done about 2 months ago.

Her last Vet visit was good said it looked great and he was really pleased, that was about 2 weeks ago.

We noticed today that there is a lump on the top of her leg, I think it may be fluid as this happened a couple of weeks after the operation and it just cleared itself.

She is still not using her leg a lot and I was wondering if this was the problem, as she is not moving it.

The leg does not seem sore at all. Just wondered if anyone has had this problem, or is it another visit to the Vets.

This has become a very costly event.

[Poodle wrangler]

If it's fluid, it shouldn't feel hard. Impossible to say, really. Any photos?

[cavNrott]

After two months the dog should be using the leg. The appearance of a hard lump plus the dog isn't using the leg means a trip back to the vet to find out what the problem is.

Did you have the extracapsular repair done or the TWLO surgery?

[leajay10]

Hi there,

My boy has had both his cruciates repaired in the last 7 months...yes both, it sucked! He had the tibial crest transplant surgery rather than regrooving etc.

I noticed with both of his he had a small round area near the knee cap following the surgery which was actually his internal stitches and a bit of swelling/calcification. This cleared up in time (probably about 4-5 weeks) however I would be concerned about the non use of the knee.

My boy was probably fairly different, as he never really held the leg up as such, he weight beared very lightly on his for the first 2 weeks and then it was as if nothing had ever happened. Which wasn't ideal either because he was trying to do far to much!

I would be going back to the vet, my vets opinon to us was that at 8 weeks they should be 100% recovered in terms of walking etc and just need to start regaining muscle tone. I guess it all depends on the surgery type you had done also. I know with the tibial crest transplant they recover quite a bit quicker and there is less chance of any damage being done after surgery because of the pins and screws and all of that wonderful stuff.

Good luck with it, hope it all goes well!

[Poodle wrangler]

At least you had the surgery done. I couldn't help but overhear one of the local checkout girls saying to one of her workmates how she thinks she'll have to put her dog down after he'd done his cruciate ligament as she couldn't afford the $1500 op .

[leajay10]

At least you had the surgery done. I couldn't help but overhear one of the local checkout girls saying to one of her workmates how she thinks she'll have to put her dog down after he'd done his cruciate ligament as she couldn't afford the $1500 op ;) .

!!!! its funny though, with my little man a friend of mine who i thought was a decent person, asked me if i was just going to put him down? or not get the surgery done because of the cost!!!! needless to say he got a stern talking to