TPLO Procedures
We’re proud to offer advanced orthopaedic services at Doyalson Animal Hospital, including TPLO surgery performed by Dr James.
What is Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture?
Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCL) is a common cause of lameness in dogs where a ligament inside the knee tears; causing instability and pain in the knee. This is the same as an ‘ACL’ ligament in humans.
What are the symptoms of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture?
The ligament sometimes will tear completely straight away- and in these cases your dog won’t be weight bearing on the leg. In other cases, the ligament will slowly tear over a period of weeks to months- and these dogs will have a progressively worsening lameness that comes and goes.
How is Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture diagnosed?
Diagnosis is confirmed with examination of the knee; looking primarily for instability of the knee joint. This is known as a ‘Cranial Drawer’ test. X-rays are also performed to confirm the diagnosis and to take measurements for corrective surgery.
What treatment options are available?
Surgery is the best treatment option for long term outcomes. Some dogs may not be suitable for major surgery due to advanced age or other health issues, and in these cases, surgery may not be recommended but rather pain management. Our veterinary team will assist you in the decision-making process.
What happens if I don’t do surgery for my dog?
If surgery is not performed, over time the knee will become severely arthritic from being unstable- leading to irreversible pain in the knee. Once present, arthritis is not reversible.
Pain killers in the short term will ‘mask’ the pain associated with the cruciate ligament rupture, however it won’t correct the instability in the knee that causes arthritis.
What is the surgery done to correct Cranial Cruciate Ligament rupture?
There are many surgical techniques available, however a common technique used by specialists in recent years is a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO).
The TPLO procedure aims to change the geometry of the knee joint to allow the knee to be stable in the absence of an intact CCL ligament. The surgery involves making a semi-circular cut in the shin bone (tibia), rotating the top segment of the bone and securing the new position of the bone with a plate.
The TPLO procedure can be performed on dogs of all sizes, and can be performed in tandem with other corrective knee surgeries that may need to be performed (eg- Medial Patella Luxation).
Doyalson Vets now offers the TPLO procedure in-house with Dr James and our experienced team.
