Kimber swimming with orthopets brace

This is my Shiloh Shepherd dog who has a torn cruciate ligament. She is being treated with conservative management... meaning no surgery. She has an orthopets stifle brace to support her knee in the healing process. She has gone from walking on three legs to walking on four, bearing weight on that leg, and swimming. The video shows here swimming with her brace on.
To read more about my special needs dogs, go to www.specialneedsdogsmusicandmore.blogspot.com

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• special needs dogs
• conservative managment
• Kimber
• torn ACL
• cruciate ligament tear
• orthopedic brace
• swimming pool
• Shiloh Shepherd
• German Shepherd
• stifle brace
• no surgery
• disabled dog
• handicapped pet
• TPLO

[scassidy29]

My 4 yr old black lab/chessie has a torn ccl also and was told tplo surgery. Very scared after researching and seeing others go thru this multiple times. He has the start of arthritis in knee and hip and hip displaysia which don't seem to bother him. We started looking into orthopets as an alternative, but am concerned that if we don't do surgery the arthritis will get worse. Glad to see people have had success as we do not want to put him thru so much trauma if a brace can do the same thing.

[DogsLuvUNoMatterWhat]

Two of my beloved canine companions had a total of 3 TPLO surgeries. A few years post surgery, they not only developed osteosarcoma, but they also had arthritis.... it's very visible on the x-rays. A dog will develop arthritis whether it has surgery or not. There are nutritional supplements that will help with arthritis.

[marielladucati]

My 3 yr old pit bill was just diagnosed with a partial cranial cruciate ligament tear. The ortho-vet recommended a TPLO surgery which I am naturally skeptical about. I don't trust it. I am looking into OrthoPets for this same brace, and I've had people tell me that it's not a smart choice instead of surgery because the ligament will never heal. This gives me a bit of hope.

[DogsLuvUNoMatterWhat]

Scar tissue over time will form around the ligament that will act as the ligament. Look at Kimber running around on her other videos... if she did not have scar tissue to replace the ligament, she would not be able to run around as she does!

[PrettyLoather]

Given your experience, would you recommend conservative management for a torn ACL to others now? How much activity can your dog manage now, and how long has it been since injury?

[DogsLuvUNoMatterWhat]

I would recommend conservative management to everyone contemplating surgery for a torn ACL. Depending on the individual injury and the ability of the caretaker to provide the correct care, your dog may still end up needing surgery. However, you have at least 8 weeks to try it. If there is improvement in that time span, you are on the right track. The demands of CM are the same as if your dog had surgery. 8 months post injury Kimber runs around like a wild girl! See her other videos.

[westcredit]

aww how precious

[DogsLuvUNoMatterWhat]

To anyone considering a TPLO... read the JAVMA Nov 2005 edition about TPLOs and osteosarcoma...bone cancer. Vets will tell you that the percentage of plate related (meaning the metal implants) cancer is very small with the TPLO procedure, but when those small percentages include your beloved canine companions, as they did mine, those percentages mean absolutely nothing. Trauma to the bone (cutting, screwing implants in, etc) can cause osteosarcoma. Why traumatize the bone to fix a ligament?

[DogsLuvUNoMatterWhat]

Kimber is currently five months post ACL tear. She is doing remarkably well! She's very playful, goes for daily walks, swims, and when she's outside with her brace on, she runs now! I am so thankful we went this route and avoided surgery. Two of my canine companions had TPLO surgeries for torn ACLs, developed osteosarcoma (bone cancer) post surgery, and died. They also developed arthritis in their TPLO legs. They would still be here had I known about conservative management and braces.

[DogsLuvUNoMatterWhat]

I couldn't agree with you more!