Orthopedic Surgery at the Best Friend's Veterinary Center
Dr. Eric Anderson, the director of the Best Friend's Veterinary Center, has been performing orthopedic surgery on pets for over 25 years. Training in orthopedic surgery started with an externship with the Dr. George Goudy, the founder and first president of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society. Subsequent to his training under Dr. Goudy, he attended course work at The Ohio State University. While at OSU, he completed the basic and most advanced courses available in collaboration with the ASIF (Association for the Study of Internal Fixation).
More recently he attended the course work in Eugene, Oregon under the auspices of Dr. Slocum and Slocum Enterprises, where he underwent extensive training to learn the Tibial Plateau Leveling Operation. He become one of only 13 in the entire state who is licensed to perform this procedure. The procedure is revolutionary patented procedure to help pets overcome their unstable knees.
For more information about this procedure see he below web sites. Extensive reviews are also available through your browser.
CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RUPTURE
I know that knee injuries are common in people. Do they occur in dogs?
The knee joint of the dog is one of the weakest in the body. Just as football players and skiers frequently suffer knee injuries, the dog also has knee injuries.
Why is the dog knee so likely to be injured?
Angled the way a dog's knee is ... is it really any wonder? A person's legs are straight and our weight is carried directly down the leg. The dogs knee joint is unstable because their knee is always flexed or bent and the "ball-like" femur condyles precariously rest on a sloping tibia plateau. As such, the knee is under stress and wants to break open. The forces and stresses of the knee are borne by the Cruciate Ligaments. It eventually may fail and lead to instability and pain in the knee.
In order to appreciate the stresses the dogs knees are constantly under, try this simple exercise. Change from the "post legged" position, we humans normally stand in, to a posture of that of a dog. Namely, bend at the knee and squat down and hold your own knees bent, while at the same time standing on your tip toes with your heal off the ground. Do you feel the stress? The two main bones, the femur and tibia, are joined with several ligaments. When ligaments fatigue from the constant force applied to them or severe twisting of the joint occurs, the most common injury is a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. When it is torn, an instability occurs that allows the bones to move in an abnormal fashion in relation to each other. It is not possible to bear weight on the leg without it collapsing.
How is it diagnosed?
The most reliable means of diagnosing this injury, is to move the femur and tibia in a certain way to demonstrate the instability. This movement is called a "drawer sign". Rarely, can it be demonstrated with the pet awake. Radiographs are also important to measure the slope of the knee to understand an idea about the amount of stress the knee is under.
How is it treated?
Correction of this problem requires surgery. A skilled surgeon, with special training, patented equipment and implants can remodel the knee and neutralize the destructive shear forces. The pets knee is reshaped so that no shear forces remain on the joint. See the Slocum :Tibial Plateau Leveling Operation.
Alternatively, for pets weighing less than 30 - 35 pounds and having a minimal sloping to the tibia (and therefore little stress on their knees), a veterinarian may use the lateral imbrication technique. To absorb the stress of cranial tibial thrust and hold the knee in its proper location a laterally placed heavy nylon suture outside the joint itself can be used. Ultimately, it will be scare tissue which forms around the nylon and joint which absorbs the stress. The stress is not eliminated as with the TPLO but shifted to scar tissue and nylon.
I have heard of torn cartilage. Does this also occur?
Occasionally the injury that causes a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament will also result in tearing of one or both of the menisci or "cartilages". At the time of surgery, these are examined and "released" if necessary.
What happens if surgery is not performed?
Uncommonly the dog that has a ruptured cruciate ligament will become sound (will no longer limp) even if surgery is not performed. However, because of instability arthritis will usually begin and result in lameness a few months later. That lameness cannot be corrected.
My dog is overweight. Does that relate to this injury?
A special note is appropriate concerning the dog's weight. Obesity or excessive weight can be a strong contributing factor in knee instability. The ligament may become weakened due to carrying too much weight; this causes it to tear easily. Obesity will make the recovery time much longer, and it will make the other knee very susceptible to cruciate rupture. If your dog has a weight problem, there are prescription diets that can be used to assist weight reduction.
Please read the following for follow up care.
Slocum® Post-operative Care for Orthopedic Surgery
For further information go to www.google.com and search for "TPLO" see also Slocum Enterprises or http://www.lauriebryce.com/tplo/