CRUCIATE LIGAMENT TEAR
The knee is the joint between the femur (thigh bone) above, the tibia and fibula (lower leg bones) below. The patella (kneecap) is in the front, and the fabellae are behind the joint Medial and Lateral Menisci (cartilage) fill the area between the femur and tibia, acting as cushions. Ligaments holding the bones and cartilage in place and allow the knee to bend correctly while keeping the knee from bending the wrong way. Two of the ligaments are the cruciate ligaments. They cross inside the knee joint. They are the anterior (front) cranial cruciate ligament and the posterior (back) caudal cruciate ligament. The anterior cruciate prevents the tibia from dislocating from under the femur. Cruciate Ligament Tear is just what it sounds like, a tear or rupture of the ligament/s. Cruciate Ligament Tear is the most common knee injury in dogs. It is rare in cats but does occasionally occur due to trauma or unknown causes. DOGS A dog that displays a sudden rear leg lameness probably has a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Untreated it will appear to gradually improve but the knee remain swollen and arthritis will quickly set in. We see dogs in the acute stage (shortly after the injury) and the chronic stage (weeks or months after the injury). Sometimes a young dog injures the ligament through rough play or accidental injury. An older dog, especially large and overweight dogs, can have a predisposition to cruciate ligament tears. Certain breeds are prone to cruciate ligament tear. They include: Akita, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bichon Frise, Boxer, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, German shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Lhasa Apso, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Miniature and Toy Poodle, Rottweiler, St. Bernard, West Highland White Terrier. However, many other dog breeds can suffer from cruciate ligament rupture. When the cruciate ligament is damaged the knee is unstable. Bones begin to wear cartilage abnormally causing the joint to develop degenerate. Osteophytes (bone spurs) develop causing chronic pain and loss of normal motion in the joint. Some dogs begin to experience this degeneration as soon as 1-3 weeks after the injury. Once the degenerative process has begun surgery can stop but not eliminate the damage. So it's important your dog receive immediate attention for this injury. CATS Diagnosis is based on lameness, instability and other definitive tests. Conservative treatment is usually recommended. Conservative treatment consists of confinement indoors, restricted activity and weight loss for overweight cats. The majority of cats return to full use of the leg without surgery in a few weeks. When lameness persists despite conservative treatment, or there are other problems, surgery is a good option. Prognosis for cats with cruciate ligament injuries is very good. |
