Knee Surgery

Does your dog seem to be suffering when they move around? Knee surgery may be the answer.

Rupture of the Cranial Cruciate Ligament is a very common problem for dogs and can affect all dogs no matter their age. This rupture can be caused by acute trauma or the degenerative process that leads to arthritis. The Cruciate Ligament provides the same function in dogs as it does in humans, it stabilizes the knee joint. If left untreated it can cause your dog serious pain or even lameness and can eventually cause issues with other joints in their body.

The problem can’t be addressed the same way it would be in humans because of a dog’s conformation. The repair of this ligament in dogs requires stabilizing the knee joint through surgery. There are a number of knee surgery options to address the problem but the newest and best option is TTA.

TTA or Tibial Tuberosity Advancement was developed at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and allows for a much quicker recovery than other surgical options available. Older techniques focused on replacing the ruptured ligament while TTA actually changes the geometry and angles of the knee joint. This allows the joint to function without the ligament making replacement of the ligament unnecessary. TTA uses titanium implants to correct the problem and once healed allows for unrestricted activity.

If you think your dog may be suffering from knee pain or issues with their Cruciate Ligament and may require knee surgery, contact us to see what your options are. We’re here to help.