ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Problems with your Puppy By Perfect Puppy Care on April 5, 2012 Knee injuries are very common among dogs, especially those that are older or overweight. When one of a dog’s hind legs becomes lame, it can often be associated with a torn or ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, which is often referred to as ACL and/or the cranial cruciate ligament or CCL that connects the back of the femur to the front of the tibia. (The femur is the bone above the knee. The tibia is the bone below the knee). The purpose of a dog’s ACL is to hold the tibia in place beneath the femur while stabilizing the joint. ACL injuries have several causes. Injuries are the obvious one. However, breed, age, activity, and the weight of the dog all play a big part in this type of medical problem. There are two types of ACL injuries. One is acute; the other is chronic. An acute injury is often a result of a traumatic injury that causes the knee to rotate in a way it should not. This type of injury can happen anywhere. The dog could step into a hole, slide on ice or misstep while running and playing. Jumping is another common cause of such injuries. A chronic injury is more likely to stem from age-related changes to the ligament, obesity or disease. Large breed dogs appear to be more prone to chronic ACL injuries. A dog that has a healthy functioning ACL will walk with tension on the ligament. This keeps the femur from pressing into the tibia. Once a tear to the cruciate ligament occurs, the tension becomes nonexistent, allowing the bones to rub together. This is accompanied by pain and an unwillingness to use the injured leg. Symptoms of an ACL injury can differ. Much depends on how severe the injury is. Symptoms could range from just a hint of lameness to the dog not being able to put any weight on the leg. In some cases, swelling does accompany an ACL injury. A dog with an ACL tear can sometimes be identified because he or she will sit with its hind leg extended straight out. In some cases, you can actually hear the femur and tibia rub together. A dog who loves to play may suddenly go on strike against any form of exercise if there is a problem with the ACL. Another common symptom is a limited range of motion. Stiffness may also be an indicator of a problem. In order to compensate for an ACL injury, a dog may put weight on its toe rather than use the whole foot. If you suspect an ACL injury, you need to schedule an appointment with the dog’s veterinarian. One of the main reasons for this is that the dog’s knee will have to be x-rayed to determine the cause of the lameness and the extent of any damage. After studying the x-rays, the veterinarian can make a recommendation. Surgery, which can be very expensive, is often required to fix the problem. If surgery is not done, the dog is much more likely to suffer injury to other parts of the leg or to the other leg as a result of compensating for the ACL injury. Once the surgery is done, the dog’s owner usually has a tough job to do. It is vital that the dog remain calm and relaxed so as to prevent further injury from happening. It can take several weeks for the injury to heal. ACL injuries are not something to mess around with. Prompt attention is the best medicine.
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 14:10:20 +0000
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