Torn cruciate ligament

So Ralph started limping Saturday. Took him to the vet this morning and he's got to have an op. He's torn the cruciate ligament in his knee joint on his right hind leg.

He's going for X-rays later in the week then will have his op. So worried about him. Anyone else's pooch done this?

Apparently he's very young for this to happen.

Oh no Ralph, how did you manage to do that

My Flo has had an op on her knee but not for the cruciate ligament so can't really offer any advice Jo, sorry. Hope he gets better quickly.

Oh no - we have had a few members on here that have had the op on their dogs - all recovered well just lots of rest - have you got a crate?

Poor Ralph!

Jo, it's going to be hard for you and Ralph during the recovery period.
He should make a good recovery from this op.
Toots broke her leg at almost 6 months old so I know how difficult keeping Ralph quiet is going to be!
I thought the time would never pass, but it did and now seems an age ago.
You will need a crate and lots of stimulating indoor games such as puzzles etc.
http://www.nina-ottosson.com/ is a good site for these toys.
Hugs to you both x

Thanks guys. Yes, we have a crate. I'll have a look at those toys too - keep him occupied.

It's just so heart breaking to see him in pain. It's booked for Friday so I will be a wreck for the day!

Chin up!

Please try not to stress too much, this is quite a routine operation these days with very high success rates. I have no doubt that Ralph will be completely fine after the op and will be running around before you know it, or will want to anyway. Please try to keep him as quite as you can though.

Thanks again. I will be sure to rest him. Vet says he will be as good as new after - even stronger.

Just such a wait until Friday isn't it. Don't want him to be suffering until then.

We've got some anti inflammatory's to give him - in a syringe, which is funny. He clamps his mouth shut so we can't squirt it in!! He'll normally eat literally anything! How does he know it's medicine! HAHA!

All the best for friday

Poor Ralphy and you ! Murphy had both legs done at different times. Op is very straightforward, and he recovered very quickly, the key is keeping Ralph confined during the recovery period. Vet will want to see him in a few days and then after a couple of weeks, with Metacam or something similar which will help to quieten him. Definitely a crate and lots of toys and entertainment. It will be difficult for you both but do persist; I knew someone who was not careful enough and they ended up with another operation. Good luck

Aw poor Ralph , my old staffy did this my vet told me to give him compleat rest ,carry him out to the toilet & back for 6 months I think but it was well worth it as he came good as new after

Poor Ralph I feel for him, I did my posterial cruciate some years ago and it hurts, so give him a hug from me

Good Luck to the little man on Friday  Sure he will recover in no time!

Hi have only just seen your post. We were so surprised to see another blue Ralph! What a coincidence. How is your Ralph getting on? Our Ralph had the exact same when he was just over 2 and had TPLO in February. He is now totally back to normal, he seems to get a bit achy at the end of the day if he's overdone it, but is back to running, jumping generally being the mad Ralph he is. It is hard work after the op but believe me, it is so worth it. Our vet was fab and his scars are barely seen (he has also had a floating patella done on the same leg, but a separate op prior to TPLO). Our vet recommended we give him joint/bone supplements which we do; we use cosequin daily, which does seem to help and Ralph waits for his tablet every morning. If you have any questions or worries that haven't been answered give us a shout and we'll try and help out even if we can only compare notes. Good luck Ralph you'll be running and jumping in a few months.

Hi Peta,
Thanks so much for your message. Your Ralph certainly went through it didn’t he!

My Ralph is doing ok. He’s being surprisingly well behaved for a Staff that hasn’t had a walk for 4 weeks! It’s so hard isn’t it? No stairs (he’s carried up to bed), no jumping (he now stands by the sofa waiting for a ‘leg up’) and no walking (lots of whining at the back gate).
He has two very short walks just up the road and back now, but how hard is it, Ralph sees another dog or something and he starts pulling. I’m petrified that he’s going to do some damage again. I mainly go out undercover of darkness so there’s no one about! Except we saw a deer the other day! Oh no!

He’s weight bearing on the leg most of the time now, occasionally he holds it up and hops on three legs, but that seems to be getting less and less now – I assume that’s normal?

We’ve got to go back to the vet on Thursday for a check up, but when we went after a week and after two weeks the vet was really pleased. He hasn’t mentioned about any of the supplements you said – but now you’ve mentioned that, I’ll ask him.

I’m not too sure about the scar – it doesn’t look very neat to me and I think that even when his hair grows back, you’ll be able to see it clearly – but that’s a small price to pay.

One worry was that the vet said there’s a 40% chance of the other leg needing doing at some point… fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that.

Oh no sorry to hear that Ralph had to have an op Jo I had no idea and hadn't seen your post He seems to be okay though?

Axl had to rest for 2 weeks because of a limp which was a tear but it was self healing as long as we rested him. He still limps now if he's been running around a lot so we've reduced the amount of running about off lead he has. Worrying stuff though.

Good luck for Thursday!

Hey Debs!
Yes, he was limping badly. X rays showed up torn cruciate ligament so he had his op. He's been resting (as a Staff does) ever since.

Hate having to keep him in the house, he loves his walks so much. Will all be worth it in the end though. Only another two weeks then we can go a bit further with him.

Glad they didn't have to operate on Axl - I suppose the severity of the tear determines if an op is needed or not... typically Ralph did it properly!
x

My Flo's TPLO healed well and the scar is only slightly visible now. As for the other leg, the vet said she would need that done at some stage too but she hasn't shown any sign of pain so all good so far.

Going easy whilst in recovery is critical. It's so easy for them to do something daft and set themselves back weeks. Glad he's coming along nicely Jo

Sounds like Ralph's doing really well Jo, well done.
I know only too well how hard it is to keep them quiet!

Hi Jo

So glad to hear your Ralph is doing well. Yes it is hard going but persevere as its so worth it. Our Ralph had TPLO on 17/01/14 and floating patella on 07/04/14, both the same leg. The referral vet discharged him on 05/06/14 and hasn't had to go back to the vet since. He's gone from strength to strength and is back to being the barmy staff that he was previously. The vet did say it may happen to the other leg but when he discharged us was very optimistic saying he had recovered well, and if it did it would be really bad luck. So as you say fingers crossed and keep up the hard work. A good ten months down the line Ralph is back to normal charging down the garden and over the fields. It probably took us longer to totally recover as you're always on the watch that they don't overdo it.

In September Ralph had his holiday in Spain and was charging up and down the beach as he had the previous year... a milestone and phew.... Ralphy back to normal.

Your message brought it all back, the short walks, avoiding other dogs, the back gate, lifting, carrying etc. It sounds like you're as 'soppy' as us, we did the carrying to bed and lifting on and off the sofa for cuddles too! I remember sitting on the floor with him for hours, getting a numb bum just so he wouldn't feel lonely or left out and still got all his cuddles.

Ralph weight bears normally and only very occasionally does a hop, step sequence usually when going downstairs. I used to worry and feel his leg but he looks at me as if to say its more fun this way and I get a fuss made!

Do ask your vet about the supplements. They really do seem to help, as I said we use cosequin tablets which Ralph thinks are a daily treat! The vet recommended cosequin or seraquin and was definite in saying not to use some of the cheaper alternatives. I get them online via pet drugs on line who are very reasonably priced and we feel they are a small price to pay if they help.

I'm sure like our Ralph he'll recover quicker than you. I totally know your worries - I think we were overprotective for quite a while, even when the vet said he was back to normal. Then one day you forget all that hard work with lead walks of 5 then 10 mins, the lifting, carrying etc and life is normal again.

Give your Ralph a hug from us, pat yourself on the back and stick with the hard work. Let us know what the vet says. Peta x

Thank you Peta for your lovely message.

Had to laugh when you speak about the numb bum - that's so me. Now I just lift him up and down on the sofa!! We are both more comfortable up there!!
X

I'm so glad he's doing well. Our old boy Floyd had his acl done when he was 4 and went on to make a full recovery. When it was time to up his exercise again, we decided to use a flexi lead to give him a little more. We did find that too much running on the beach made him a little stiff and sore for a day or so, and years later with his arthritis and lumbo sacral stenosis, we stopped the beach completely. We think the soft sand was making him over stretch.
I can't add anymore to the great advice you've already been given above, but I can add our best wishes and congratulations on the work you've done with him so far.
Lynn

glad ralphs bit better

Hi, sitting here with my Ralph having a quick cuddle and wondered how your Ralph is getting on? Hope you are both doing well? x

Hi Peta, thanks for your message.  Well, we are well on the way I think.  He very occasionally lifts up his back leg when he is standing, and also gives a little 'hop' when going down stairs or something like that, which is funny as you said your Ralph does the same!

I think it is still giving him a bit of grief sometimes.  We've been letting him off the lead now, only for about 10 minutes at a time, or until he starts doing the 'zoomies' then we put him back on, and his walks still aren't nearly as long as they used to be, I'd say max 20 minutes.  Although most of that is spent sniffing!  The other day I was worried as he shot after a deer.  He didn't get anywhere near it - never does - but it was very muddy out and I was worried in case he pulled it again.  

As you warned me, it's a long old process and I think it bothers me more than him!  The first time he jumped back up on the bed I was in a panic in case he'd hurt it again.  I told him off for not waiting for me to lift him up!  He was like whatever mum!!!  

His scar is still quite visible I think... here he is just after we had put new covers on the bed!  He's always the first one to get up on them!!  You can see his scar quite clearly.



Thank you so much for thinking about us Peta.  xx

Bless him the scar looks pretty neat though

Scar looks just like Murphy's did (both times). If they do one, it does seem to re-occur on the other side but there's not much you can do unless you're going to restrict them for ever. Ralphie is a beaut.

So pleased to see him looking so good Jo

Glad he is recovering well Banes best buddie Mr Sabre next door has just had an op for this! Let's hope he recovers well too like Ralphy