Dog ACL recovery

[elephantnose3334]

It's been 7 weeks since the older Labradoodle had done her hind right leg ACL. She also done her other leg too a few weeks later. She had surgery on her hind leg on a Thursday and is expecting surgery on her other leg on Valentine's Day. The dog was originally going to be euthanatised after she done her hind left leg but the vet said the Labradoodle could get a second chance in life. I thought the dog died on that day, but she came home alive with the family.

 

[GaryE]

My friend's dog had similar surgery 2 years ago, and is doing fine. It eats like a horse so they have to watch that it doesn't ever carry extra weight, but otherwise, you'd never know she had such an injury..

 

[Myrkk]

ACL was always thought to be a traumatic injury but they’ve discovered it is a degenerative condition so 50% of dogs that get one rupture will go on to rupture the other leg. I’ve seen hundreds of dogs have surgery for this condition and almost all go on to live great lives. Keeping all dogs at a healthy weight is optimal, our nearly 13yr old lab used to get mistaken for a puppy until he got his little white beard as he was so slim and bouncy. If only I could manage the same with me? Human kibble anyone? Would make eating your allotted calorie intake so much easier.

 

[gilltyascharged]

ACL was always thought to be a traumatic injury but they’ve discovered it is a degenerative condition so 50% of dogs that get one rupture will go on to rupture the other leg. I’ve seen hundreds of dogs have surgery for this condition and almost all go on to live great lives. Keeping all dogs at a healthy weight is optimal, our nearly 13yr old lab used to get mistaken for a puppy until he got his little white beard as he was so slim and bouncy. If only I could manage the same with me? Human kibble anyone? Would make eating your allotted calorie intake so much easier.

Oh my....I never would have guessed. Both my (14-15yo) Sheltie/Aussie and my grandparents' Siberian Husky (16yo) have suffered ACL tears, but both dogs are so old that none of the vets feel comfortable with surgery. While both have lost a good amount of weight in the past two years since their injury, it's clear that there is significantly less muscle mass on the leg with the tear. Both are still "active" dogs, in a sense; whilst Max, our dog, doesn't do all that well on walks--I, a 16yo female, usually end up having to carry a 60lb dog home down the block--he still enjoys trying to run after rabbits, play with our 4yo Spoo, and police our cats.