Torn ACL

reddog

reddog

Well-known member
My year old male ripped his ACL on a short airing run on Friday out by Presho.. (5 minutes in). Local vet diagnosed and offered two suggestions. 1) Let him do the reconstructive surgery with the fishing line) or go to a specialist in Sioux Falls and go for the full reconstruction.(TPLO) He said if the dog was over ten years old, then go for the cheaper fix (his) since its a pup still and looking for a hunting career, he said I should go for the full reconstruction of the knee.

Your thoughts?
 
been there x 2 and it aint fun. sorry
What kind of dog?
At a year old, yes I would opt for TPLO or TTA. I went with TTA and worked well. Im sure you were told, chances are overwhelming that the other side will blow too. Again, sorry.
 
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Sky at months old.

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I haven't visited here for a long time - but this topic I have much experience with and is near and dear to my heart and to my dear griff/lab cross.
Long story short:
2 TPLO surgeries back to back, 12/14-7/15 recovery rehab period.
Costly, brutal, exhaustive, tedious, heartbreaking, scary, discouraging........
Worth it.
My Girl hunted all across MT fall 2015 for Blue grouse, Huns, and roosters - 35 days total all the while never exhibited any discomfort.
Now she is romping with her new friend, our 10 month old griff.

If you do the TPLO:
Find a experienced, reputable and recommended TPLO surgeon (of which I am lucky enough to have one 30 miles from home).
Follow aftercare instructions EXPLICITLY.
Be prepared for some really tough work.

Love your dog(s) as much as I do - it's all worth it, even though I'm broke:eek:

Good luck with your pal.... happy to share my experience with the process.....
 
Thanks all.

I have been referred to a Dr Spoo in Sioux Falls. Highly regarded I'm told..
I don't think he actually does the surgery, but has a traveling surgeon in every two weeks. Were on the schedule for Mar 25th. Im aware of the chances of the second tear on the other leg.... and worried. We'll make the season with this one. The next one, doubtful..
 
New here and sorry to hear this. My dog went through two knees and then a shredded meniscus. We went TTA and she made a full recovery both times and was bit slower but back to normal. Spent most of my time laying on the floor with her. Follow the post care guidelines exactly.
 
nkhrfh said:
New here and sorry to hear this. My dog went through two knees and then a shredded meniscus. We went TTA and she made a full recovery both times and was bit slower but back to normal. Spent most of my time laying on the floor with her. Follow the post care guidelines exactly.
Click to expand...

I could stand him to slow down a bit. :) Hes fresh off of a month of winter training at Willow Creek. Dang..
 
I had an older dog that we did the cheaper fix on. She did fine the rest of her life. I was told the other side might go, but it didn't! They told me that the fishing line is just the temporary fix but the after care and allowing it to heal properly creates scar tissue over the line and that actually becomes the new tendon. It all depends on your cash position and what you feel the dog is worth. We all make those decisions everyday. Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide and how the process goes!
 
reddog said:
Thanks all.

I have been referred to a Dr Spoo in Sioux Falls. Highly regarded I'm told..
I don't think he actually does the surgery, but has a traveling surgeon in every two weeks. Were on the schedule for Mar 25th. Im aware of the chances of the second tear on the other leg.... and worried. We'll make the season with this one. The next one, doubtful..
Click to expand...


Good luck. Thats a tough one.

From what I know of Dr Spoo he will give you the right recommendations. He is a bird dog vet if there ever was one. He has several good ones himself and sees some of the best in the area at his practice.

Tim
 
Same experience as Goldenboy. My Britt (10-years old at the time) had his ACL repaired via the fishing string method in January 2012. He's been going strong ever since (14 years old now).

Best of luck. Once repaired i think you'll have no issues going forward.

Frank
 
Acl

I had a Lab have it in 1991. Had a grafted on ligament with the nylon for reinforcement. The nylon caused irritation and would not heal. Back in and remove, but scar tissue strengthened the joint. Vet thought it might work. It did! No further problems ever with full movement. Other leg was never an issue. I will caution you it looked like He%#! Dwarfed to a third of it's size, couldn't walk for weeks, finally like a crutch and toe tapped around. Eventually muscle returned with size and he walked normal and ran better than before. The great english pointer Whippoorwill Rebel one the 3 hour horseback national championship, afterward had ACL surgery, then came back and won it again! Had 14 finds! Same surgery. It cost $600.00 in 1991, I am sure it will be three-four times that now. Good Luck.
 
The $2600 quote from my local vet morphed into 3k after the phone convo with the actual place that is going to do the surgery. ( plus $303 for blood work and complete X-rays on hips and knees prior to surgery taken care of last Friday) Over the weekend, he's using the leg like nothing happened. I took some video of him romping around the cabin yesterday. I doubt this will negate the surgery, but just want to verify that I'm doing the right thing, and spending money wisely. I'm looking at the TPLO surgery.
 
My dog 2 ACL tears!!

My 3 year old GSP tore one side. Had TPLO with great results following rehab. 6 months later she tore the other one. Had second surgery on that one. Not as good of a result on the second. Not sure why but she occasionally will hold that leg up or favor it now and then. Has been a couple years now and still hunt her. She is a little slower now than what she was but overall went fine. Hopefully the other holds up for you.
 
Took Sky to the vet hospital on Thirsday afternoon for a Friday morning surgery. I headed west to fish the day at Chamberlain. Got a call from the surgeon about 945 the all went well and he was resting comfortably. Picked him up today at 1130 and were home now. I kind of like his disposition when he's on a dose of Tramadol. :)
 
Update, since BirddogGSP brought this to light again.

Sky recovered nicely from his TPLO surgery, performed by Dr. Brent Reimers from Des Moines, at the Best Care Vet Hospital in Sioux Falls Sd. (Dr Joe Spoo)


He had his right leg surgery on March 25th, and recovered nicely. We were conditioning and training to build upo the muscle loss in his right leg. Things were going great....... until...... June 28, when we were doing some water training, and he came up limping on his left leg. I was heading for Sioux Falls anyway, so I set up an appointment with Dr Spoo for a diagnosis, knowing deep down what that was going to be. Torn Left ACL. :( as you all know, there is typically a 70 to 80% chance of the other leg tearing. It so happened that Dr Reimers was coming to the hospital to do surgery on Thursday June 30th, but was booked full for the day. He was going to go on vacation for several weeks and the next scheduled surgery in Sioux Falls was going to be July 29. (the start of my annual 2 week vacation to Knoxville Iowa for the Sprint car Nationals) I asked for a referral to another surgeon, or if I could travel to Des Moines and have it done instead of Sioux Falls. I did not want to lose 4 weeks of recovery time, with hunting season staring me in the face.

Dr Reimers opted to come back on Friday, June 1 and do my Sky boy. :) The surgery went well, and for the most part, the recovery has been incredibly easy. Its as if he knows the game now, and knows how to behave. He was using it right away, and pulling on the leash with it as if there was never any surgery,.

He isn't losing muscle mass in this leg, like he did with the right, and rehab has been a breez. He resides in a crate, and doesn't go out without a leash. Im going on 3 weeks into rehab and am still leaving on the 29th for Knoxville. I have a cousin staying at me place for two weeks taking care of the dogs. If I had waited till the 29th for the surgery, Sky would've been going on vacation with us. As it is now, hes staying home, and crate bound..

Im pretty sure Ill be in good shape come hunting season, assuming something catastrophic doesn't happen to him. I highly recommend Drs Spoo and Reimers if they are in your area.

My cost was $3,050.00 per corner, and that included follow up vet checkups and X Rays.

Sky is healing faster than my checkbook :)
 
Reddog sorry to hear that.

I pick up my dog later today after the TPLO surgery. Vet said surgery went well and she's recovering nicely. I asked about the odds on the 2nd knee blowing out and he said it could happen and really depended on dog. I'm thinking about h2o therapy to build up the strength without the pounding.

The vet said she might be able to go later in the season. I'm just not sure if it's worth the risk. Said it would be 8-10 weeks for the bones to be completely healed and then 2-4 weeks to build up muscle and endurance. I'll reluctantly sit out the season if it decreases the odds of blowing out other knee and saving $ 4K.

How long before you had the dog active and running ?
 
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