Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Cruciate Ligament Rupture – Nature and Cause

The cruciate ligaments are two bone ligaments located a little below the groin and the other is the hind leg joint. These ligaments stretch across the knee of your dog. They are called cruciate because they ‘cross over’ the center of the knee joint. As such, they serve to stabilize the pet’s knees. There are also other ligaments nearby termed as collateral ligaments. These structures provide additional support to the cruciate ligaments and the knee as a whole. In times of relentless stress, one of the two cruciates may end up being torn or ruptured. The most commonly affected cruciate is technically named the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). This situation most likely happens among bigger dog breeds or to those canines that are overweight.

Signs of Cruciate Ligament Rupture

It is easy to tell that your dog has his CCL ruptured because he will automatically be reluctant in using the affected leg. In most cases, the dog is seen with the affected leg slightly raised off the ground or just barely touching the ground with only his toes. The common feature is the injured leg will no longer be used to bear the body’s weight. If this is seen in your dog, most likely there’s also another inflammation surrounding the knee joint occurring at the same time. From the vet’s end, he will perform some reflex and mobility tests to assess for joint instability. Ordinarily, this procedure can be done with the dog left conscious and awake. However, there are some instances wherein the canine may become uncooperative (most likely because of severe pain). In this regard, the vet will have to sedate the dog. A positive test will be called a ‘positive drawer sign.’ Moreover, there’s a knee disc made of cartilage (the meniscus) that can be damaged as well. If so, it will be assessed with a positive click sound upon the physical examination. When the entire CCL assessment is done, the vet will subject the dog for X-Ray to find any other damage if ever the result of the preliminary physical exam is positive. 

Treatment Options for Cruciate Ligament Rupture

There are two treatment modalities for Cruciate Ligament Rupture. One is called conservative treatment while the other is surgery.
1. Conservative Treatment is a combination of several therapies. One is rest, the other is exercise control and the last is the provision of anti inflammatory medications. This treatment however is applicable only to smaller dog breeds like those that are 15 kg in body weight or less. After a successful completion of this therapy, the dog can be well for a few months. Unfortunately, there are some instances wherein the condition complicates to arthritis of the injured joint.
2. Surgery – This is probably the most radical approach to treating cruciate ligament rupture. There are actually many ways to do such. All of which are aimed at stabilizing the affected knee joint. Like conservative treatment, there’s also a high possibility that your pet will develop arthritis in the long run.
 
Disclaimer

This pet health article is for reference only.

If your pet is showing any symptoms or distress, and you suspect your pet is ill CONTACT YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY.