Dog has torn CCL, I need advice.

Vet finally gave me a call back yesterday and talked me through our two options. I think we know the way to go but I'm going to keep our appointment at our other vet on Monday to get a second opinion and see what they say.

Looks like the surgery will be between ~$3500 and $5000+, depending on which option we go with.

 

We have a surgery center appointment today at 11.
I already gave Mav his sedatives.

He is starting to put more weight on the leg.
Wife said he tried to jump on the bed last night.

I'm anticipating the same price range for Maverick to fix it.
Just the consultation is $180.

 

Make sure those prices include meds and followup care. If not, add ~$1500. I learned the hard way.

 

Well, it tore all the way thru.
The earliest they can do surgery is April 11th.
Surgery is to be done by a surgeon that only does this surgery.
The estimated cost is $3800, plus the $800 spent on his initial vet visit.

Looking forward to getting it done.

Thank you all again for the input...

 

@1lowlife I just returned home late last night from stomping around in your neck of the woods. I've been catching up on the forum posts that we've missed while gone and saw this thread.

I'm so sorry about Maverick! It sounds like you've got a handle on the situation now. Lots of experience chimed in and sounds like they helped you make difficult decisions.

Please keep us posted on his progress.

 

Thanks B.
Yes, this thread has been very helpful to me..
I went from not knowing what a canine CCL is to becoming very educated on the subject and how common the injury is with the help of our forum members..

That is what this forum is about, we do bust each other's balls from time to time, but in general, we are eager to help another member in a time of need..

 

Glad to hear they've got it figured out. Hopefully you won't have to travel too far to get it handled. When it came to Magnus' surgery, I'd have driven across country to make it happen if I'd had to.

 

My golden who was 12 had the TPLO surgery. I was so nervous, but it went well and the tiny lady surgeon and her team were amazing. I was told it was 90% of the surgeries that team does when it gets icy out so they get really good at it. I wouldn't hesitate to have it done again. Was lucky to have Pet insurance but would have done it anyway. A member of the family.

Pretty sure they'll call it TPLO surgery and then say it's like ACL surgery on a human. Glad you got in somewhere quickly. Don't think TPLO works on small dogs, your guy sounds like a great candidate size wise and he'll be good soon.

 

My vet said all dogs are candidates for TPLO as it's a more robust repair. The extra capsular repair is only recommended for small dogs. They being said, he also told me back in the day they never had the TPLO surgery so he's done extra capsular on large dogs with relatively good results. (Wouldn't be recommended now.)

 

@1lowlife , how did things go?

My 7yo Male Boxer came back home last night after chasing something in the woods. Lame and not putting much to any weight on his back left leg. Have a feeling it’s his ccl as well.

Will set up a vet visit later this week.

 

Maverick is doing great and he is back to normal.
His 12-week rehab was over last weekend.
He runs in the yard and gets on the couch and the beds.
We don't let him run full speed up and down the fence line chasing the neighbor's dog, how he initially got hurt.

It was hard for him the last few weeks because he felt fine, but his bone still had to finish healing to the hardware.
I'd guess the total cost was around $4400 including the pain meds and the 2 follow-up visits in which they did X-rays to monitor his healing.

No regrets and hopefully he doesn't tear the one on his right leg.
I can feel the hardware under his skin.



https://youtu.be/VsCq353sy14

 

Took this today after the morning poop walk.
He will usually dig in the sand for several minutes, but there is thunder and sirens outside and he wants to go back in.

https://youtu.be/eTeZ8MztGpQ

 

Love it! He couldn't care less about hardware in his leg. Dogs are awesome.

 

That’s awesome!

if we end up needing this for Cassius, I’d just so scared he would injure the other leg or the same one again. That’s $$$$

 

I didn't realize the TPLO surgery included any hardware...

 

AWWWWWW! Who's a good boy?!

Glad to hear he's doing better... the lengths we go to for the fur babies huh? Then again, I like most dogs more than I like most people, soooo...

 

Dogs are worth it, for sure.

 

Yes Sir! I don't even wanna' know how much we spent on doggy rehab over the years, taking 3 different dogs there for various ailments and injuries.

My wife's dog KC had lost the use of her back legs due to a bulging disc that started pressing on the nerves. We got her one of those bitchen doggy wheelchairs. The rehab lady did E-Stim, massage, cold laser treatments, chinese herbs, all kinds of voodoo - both Eastern and Western medicine and got her out of the wheelchair and going on walks around the block again.




And here's Riley getting some Hydrotherapy on the underwater treadmill after blowing out his elbow. He'd swim one week and treadmill the next.
Treadmill is cool cuz it takes the weight off the joints so they can get the range of motion without the stress on the joints of bearing their load.




A nice massage after.

 

My wife and I talk about this kinda stuff all the time.... It's truly amazing the amount of options that are out there to make a difference for them now; especially if you're in a large metro area of near a vet college, etc.

We just wish we could find people Drs that care and provide the kind of service and compassion that most vets do.

I've seriously asked my vet if he'd handle my primary and end of life care, but he just snickers at me