conservative treatment vs TPLO for CCL injury

[Irish Luck]

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Hey everyone,

I am starting medical school next season and post regularly in the med school forums. I received some bad news from the vet yesterday. My 7 year old boxer has torn his CCL.

The injury is ~2 years old. Unfortunately he started limping a week after he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and I therefore thought it was just progression of the disease. He regularly puts some weight on the injured leg but he has not been able to run without limping afterwards for some time.

The vet suggested TPLO surgery but while doing some research I came across a lot of support for conservative treatment. My current plan is to restrict activity for the next six weeks while giving nsaid's, join supplements, and adequan. I will be gradually increasing the lengths of his walks and once the weather improves try my best get him swimming. If he starts improving I will hold off on surgery.

Does anyone have any opinions on one method vs. the other? Any suggestions for knowing when conservative treatment isn't working and to move forwards with surgery?

Thanks for any opinions.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Sorry to hear about the pup, but.....if you had an orthopedic injury, would you ignore your surgeon's suggestion based on stuff you found on the internet and start your own treatment plan?

Your bachelor's degree plus some internet searches do not even come close to trumping your veterinarian's medical opinion. If you are unsure of why he or she recommended surgery or want to discuss conservative treatment, talk to them. Conservative management (not treatment - management) is sometimes an option, but if your vet recommended TPLO there must be a reason. Things like anti-inflammatories and restricted exercise may work for pain and slowing progression, but the mechanical issues caused by the torn ligament, especially if meniscus compromise is present, will remain and most likely progress without surgical intervention. Discuss it with them and ask if conservative management is an option. We can't give any opinion as to your personal case here because we have never seen your dog, nor the radiographs to determine the type and severity of the injury, nor anything else.

 

[jmo1012]

Sorry to hear about the pup, but.....if you had an orthopedic injury, would you ignore your surgeon's suggestion based on stuff you found on the internet and start your own treatment plan?

Your bachelor's degree plus some internet searches do not even come close to trumping your veterinarian's medical opinion. If you are unsure of why he or she recommended surgery or want to discuss conservative treatment, talk to them. Conservative management (not treatment - management) is sometimes an option, but if your vet recommended TPLO there must be a reason. Things like anti-inflammatories and restricted exercise may work for pain and slowing progression, but the mechanical issues caused by the torn ligament, especially if meniscus compromise is present, will remain and most likely progress without surgical intervention. Discuss it with them and ask if conservative management is an option. We can't give any opinion as to your personal case here because we have never seen your dog, nor the radiographs to determine the type and severity of the injury, nor anything else.

yup, i am definitely seconding all of this. if you are uncomfortable with your primary care veterinarian's opinions, you can also seek referral to a board certified veterinary surgeon and they can go over the different treatment options and pros and cons of each (there are multiple different surgical approaches out there but each has its own list of pros and cons as does medical management)

 

[deleted498041]

Conservative management will not "fix" a CCL tear. That CCL will not magically regenerate. There are surgeries that will eliminate the need for a CCL, or give your pet a substitute. People do conservative management, and people do surgery. Like the other two posters said, we can't advise on an Internet forum.

Isn't it against the rules of these forums to seek medical advice?

 

[dyachei]

SDN is not intended for medical advice. Please consult your veterinarian