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Two Cruciate Tears


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Dropped Gertie my little Shihtzu at the vets this morning as she has been limping.

She's just been examined and had radiographs done. She's torn both cruciates and the vet is recommending having both repaired at the same time. :)

Anyone here done two together? I'm so upset for her....

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Oh poor baby. :) Being a small dog it probably wouldn't be too bad to get them done together, especially if she is OK with being crated. Remember, two ops means TWICE the rehab, resting, etc. Also, if both are injured, if you do one leg at a time, the other leg will be put under a lot of pressure.

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Probably flying off the couch to tell the big dogs off. She does it two dozen times a day.

I'm going to have to do some serious number crunching :) Can't say I have a spare 4?? grand lying around.

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Hi Clyde,

So sorry for poor little Gertie. :thumbsup:

I had a schnauzer who did both legs - but one just after the other. :) It was a long time recuperating -he had to be confined in my laundry, but surgery was very succesful.

Best wishes for her Gertie's speedy recovery.

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I'm panicked by the potential cost, but she's now staying in overnight as they can hopefully fit her in tomorrow.

Local Vets charged $1000 on a Poodle 6 months ago, the other one was done first at the specialist centre in sydney for $2000.

Depends if your Vet is up to speed on this problem or not, as many tears heal themselves without surgery.

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Chloe had both of hers torn at the same time... and the specialist was more than prepared to operate on both in the first surgery - but told us that he preferred to do it one leg at a time - which is what we did. I can't remember exactly why he headed us in that direction, but ultimately he thought it was just too much for her to have both done at one time - I seem to remember him saying something about although the cruciate is blown and painful, it will help stabilise the operated leg. Personally, I think it was easier to manage that way... recovery is long and tedious and if I'd been worried about both legs i think I would have gone insane. I have heard of dogs needing slings etc with both legs done at the same time... and the problem is if they are hesitant to weight bear (although I guess with both legs done it would force them too). Luckily for us, with only one leg done at a time it encouraged Chloe to weight bear right from the start as she had the other leg (even though that cruciate was blown) to stabilise her 'broken' leg.

Of course, being a smaller dog maybe circumstances would be different... and I guess it also depends on the type of surgery that Gertie is having as well. Chloe had tibial wedge osteotomies, where the leg was (in laymans terms) broken, a wedge was cut out and it was rotated and screwed back together to form a new and stronger angle.

I guess, your ultimate decision will come down to what the surgeon thinks is best in terms of Gertie's recovery etc, what is more convenient for you to best able to manage her recovery time, and maybe even financial...

ETA - the TWO cost me approx $3500 each leg... plus of course all the follow ups, medications, intermittent xrays, joint supplements, equipment (ramp etc).

Edited by Kelly_Louise
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Depends if your Vet is up to speed on this problem or not, as many tears heal themselves without surgery.

Depends how bad the tears are... some are just so bad (some left too long), and leaving them cause DJD to set in REALLY quickly.

We were advised by our original vet to wait, wait, wait... I took her to the specialist and they were both so bad she had to have both meniscus removed as well. For both to be torn, I'd say that the tears are complete or near to.

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Probably flying off the couch to tell the big dogs off. She does it two dozen times a day.

I'm going to have to do some serious number crunching :) Can't say I have a spare 4?? grand lying around.

Ouch 4k! They might do a repayment plan?? Some vets have laons underwritten by AGC or similar?? I can't recall which.

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Good luck Clyde, I hope all goes well with your girl.

I do have to say that the price you said you were going to be charged is IMO, seriously overpriced..... :( ..........like really??? No wonder so many dogs are not treated for things when Vets think the can charge those kind of prices. I just don't get a lot of Vets and the crazy prices that some charge??????

(I will just pick my jaw up off the ground and walk on)

Edited by Stolzseinrotts
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My Shih tzu X did both his cruciates within 2 weeks of each other. He coped well with the first surgury, but the second was a real struggle for him, with a very long recovery time. 3 years later he is on pain medication every day for his knees and a short walk around the block is as far as he can go. He was 7 when this happened, so I don't know whether that contributed to the recovery. Both surgurys together cost $2300. Good luck with Gertie.

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I don't know. I'm waiting til after 3 to call, and even then they said they would call me about 5 :laugh:

I need to know if they did both legs or not. Max said he would do the worst first, then if there were no complications they would do the second. I'm really missing her though. For a little dog who doesn't really do much she's certainly left a void.

Whereas when Esme was sick at the vets it was like a holiday :cry:

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