Evening everyone, Cortex got injured this morning (I’ve seen two different vets just to be sure) but it is what it is: a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee. The first vet told me it would take 4 to 8 months of rehab, whereas the second says the dog should have recovered well within 3 months. The prices are also worlds apart; one quoted around £850, the other about £350 (money isn’t an issue). In both cases, they told me that no matter what happens, Cortex will develop arthritis and the joint will become painful as he gets older.
I’d like to know if any of you have dealt with this kind of setback before. How did the surgery go? Was the recovery good? Is there anything we can do to make sure he doesn't suffer too much later on?
I’m so worried about Cortex (he’s on anti-inflammatories until the operation, which is scheduled for Monday at 8:45 am). I still don't know which vet to go with, but since both have given me an appointment, I need to cancel one of them...
I’m completely lost 😞
Translated from French
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Hi there, thinking of you and Cortex!
I’m not familiar with all these different surgeries, so I haven’t really got any advice to give, but like you, my gut instinct is to go for the least invasive option. It sounds like the vet is suggesting a procedure that’s well-suited to your dog.
Wishing the young lad a speedy recovery; I hope everything heals up well and that he doesn’t try to play the clown by refusing to take it easy.
And Happy Holidays!
Thanks Albator 🙂 I think I’ll "deprive" him of playing with other dogs to begin with. I’ll also put him on a long lead when the time comes for him to go on quiet walks again, just so I can keep him under control as much as possible.
The vet told me that for a fortnight it’s just toilet breaks, back home and rest. The stitches will be taken out after those two weeks, and then he should start to slowly put weight on his leg again. From that point, we’ll need to follow a recovery plan to get everything back to normal gradually and avoid him losing muscle mass, which the vet says happens very quickly. I’m going to follow the advice to the letter; I don’t want to risk a second operation that could turn out to be much more of a problem for him.
Hi, thanks to both of you, Albator and Emla. I wasn't sure (even though I tend to think it's sometimes better to be as non-invasive as possible during surgery, I didn't want to do the wrong thing). The vet was incredibly kind to Cortex.
You're right, Emla, I can always look into other options if this doesn't work. The vet explained how important it is, after strict rest, to start some gentle exercise to build up the muscle that will then support the injured joint.
At the moment, he's very calm, lying next to me (I took some emergency leave to stay with him, I had some time off in lieu to use up). As long as he isn't moving, I'd rather not put him in a crate (he's not used to it); we'll work on that slowly.
I also need to think of ways to keep him occupied during his recovery.
I've also cancelled my New Year's Eve plans; it'll just be the two of us lol.
I'm going to follow your advice and go with the FLO, which seems best given his young age! Thanks for everything.
Regarding the dog I mentioned where things were a bit more complicated, they actually had to remove the plate a year later because it had healed right over it, and she was 7 at the time. With a young dog, I really do think it’s better to repair it; it’ll mend just fine.
This vet seems to know what they’re doing.
If the worst comes to the worst and this procedure isn't enough, you can always rethink things. There’ll still be time to go for the prosthesis later on.
The techniques they're suggesting aren't the same. The second vet mentioned a "Flo" technique, which is basically a lateral suture to mimic the ligament—he reckons it's the best option for a young dog. At the vets, from what I've gathered, they're going to cut a piece of the bone and then use screws and a plate. That sounds way more invasive from what I can tell, so I'm feeling completely lost now 😞 I don't know which is better; I've been scouring the internet (vet sites, forums, etc.) but I can't find anything concrete. Everyone's advice seems to clash and it's becoming really hard to make sense of it all 😞
I went to the Animavet clinic this morning (it’s the closest one to me). They gave Cortex a physical exam and told me it’s likely a torn ligament. They’ve put him on anti-inflammatories and booked an appointment for an X-ray and ultrasound on Monday morning, with surgery to follow if that is indeed the case. I was a bit unsettled, though, as I felt it was all a bit rushed (no information on the surgery or the recovery process...). I looked for another vet and, more or less at random, I saw a really lovely gentleman in his sixties who told me the same thing straight away (just from watching him walk). He still did an X-ray to confirm it, talked me through the surgery in detail, explained what would happen if we didn’t go ahead with it, and assured me that dogs recover very well – apparently, it’s a very common injury 😞
What’s worrying me about the clinic is that the person who operates on Cortex might not be the one he saw today (they have a rota of vets...). I’ve read the reviews for this clinic and, depending on the vet, they’re either fantastic or a total disaster... I don’t know what to think. I can’t get a wink of sleep; I’m just staying up keeping an eye on Cortex. It’s silly, but I feel responsible for him being in this state. I keep blaming myself for going there and for not keeping him closer to me 😣
As Emla says, I’m lucky that Jazz was operated on by an orthopaedic specialist who is actually her regular vet. As for the recovery, it’s true that for 6 weeks, only short lead walks were allowed and, of course, no jumping or running...
I know a few dogs who’ve had surgery, but they were at a more advanced age.
Generally, after about three months, the dogs were able to go for walks, but any overexertion (like sprinting or walking for too long) would lead to them limping. It took several months for a truly full recovery. So, I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'recovery'.
The only dog where it took years—and it really took its toll on her, making her age significantly—was when the operation was done by a regular vet. The others were all operated on by specialists.
I think it’s just like with humans; vets aren’t necessarily experts in everything. A general vet is great for day-to-day care, but they aren’t always the best for this kind of surgery.
