The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) may be damaged for several causes in dogs – some of these can be prevented, but mishaps are still possible so learn what you need to know about CCL tears in Dogs.
Throughout their lives, dogs may put more pressure on their joints and muscles, increasing the possibility that they will need surgery to repair a torn CCL (also known as TPLO).
Here are the most common causes of canine CCL tears and some strategies for avoiding them.
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Causes of CCL
Not Enough Exercise
Your dog’s joints and muscles will weaken without regular exercise.
We all have hectic schedules, but it’s still crucial that you give your dog a daily walk of at least 30 minutes.
You can’t expect your dog to keep active and healthy if they never leave the house.
Take them for a stroll every day once you get home. Torn CCLs are more common in dogs that undergo regular activity.
Being Overweight
Due to the extra strain on their joints, overweight dogs are more likely to suffer CCL injuries.
If your dog is too chubby, it risks tearing a CCL.
Keeping your dog active and eating well may reduce the likelihood of a CCL injury.
Prevention is simpler than coping with physical rehabilitation after your dog has had surgery.
Poor Genetics
Hip dysplasia in dogs is often caused by inadequate early nutrition and bad breeding practices.
Why can hip issues cause CCL tears? That’s all there is to it. Compensation.
Through the years, we have seen a clear relationship between CCL tears and hips.
The left hip of a dog with a torn right CCL is also often affected, as may be shown on an X-ray.
Doesn’t it all make perfect sense?
That’s how things are supposed to go down.
If you have pain in your left hip, you could favor your right leg to bear your body weight.
The CCL in your right knee will wear out with the additional strain.
To blow the right, you need just make the appropriate motions, or do a hyperextension of the right leg.
An Excessive Amount of Simultaneous Tasks
Weekends aren’t the only time to take your dog for a walk.
Lazy dogs are more prone to injuries than active dogs just twice a week.
If a dog is excessively energetic, particularly if it hasn’t been taught, it risks tearing its CCL.
A sudden impact may easily tear a CCL.
However, this may be avoided by exercising your dog frequently so that its muscles and joints are prepared for bursts of activity.
TPLO surgery is a last resort that no dog owner hopes to need.
Giving your dog the necessary exercise may be challenging.
Still, it will pay off in the long run by reducing the likelihood of injuries and extending the dog’s healthy, active life.
CCL injuries may be prevented in dogs by maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular exercise.
When the Cruciate Ligament Tears, What Signs Do You Often See?
The most frequent kind of knee injury in dogs is a torn CCL or ACL. Rupture of the Cruciate ligament is the most common reason for abrupt hind-limb lameness.
The most often reported symptoms are weakness, swelling, instability, and acute pain in the hind leg.
A torn Cruciate ligament is characterized by cranial drawer sign or knee instability.
When the tibia slides forward with palpation of the femur, it is called the cranial drawer sign.
Large, hurting dogs are often used for this test.
Putting the dog to sleep will allow the knee to relax fully. Arthroscopic procedures, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radiographs play critical diagnostic roles.
When and How to Treat an ACL or CCL Tear?
Joint degeneration and instability are possible outcomes of a CCL tear.
Repairing it with surgery is the most reliable and effective option.
A full CCL tear nearly typically develops in the weeks or months after a partial tear in a dog.
There is a reduced risk of permanent cartilage injury or weakening of the opposite leg’s Cruciate ligament if surgery is performed sooner rather than later.
Standard procedures may be divided into three categories: intra-articular, extra-articular, and arthroscopic vs. open.
Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy(TPLO surgery), Extracapsular Repair, and Tibial Tuberosity Enhancement(TTA), which are virtually always performed on little dogs, are the most often used surgical procedures.
After surgery, most dogs put on weight within a week. The average recovery time is between 3 and 4 months.
Can a Dog Recover From a Torn CCL After Surgery?
Your veterinarian will provide you with a comprehensive post-operative care and rehabilitation instruction document.
After undergoing surgery to repair a CCL injury, rehabilitation may be just as significant.
Witnessing your dog in pain due to a CCL tear may be traumatic.
However, knowing the warning signals and where to go for assistance, you can put them on the road to recovery.
