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The Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) is a ligament in the canine knee that helps keep the joint stable. It is similar to the ACL in people.

Recent research suggests that dogs can have a genetic predisposition to CCL weakening or degeneration, leading to an eventual tear. Other factors, such as developmental, anatomic, and hormonal, may also contribute to this degeneration. Tears ...

Your primary care veterinarian, emergency veterinarian, or veterinary surgeon can diagnose a CCL tear with the following: Clinical history. Some CCL tears seem to happen abruptly after vigorous running, jumping, or playing, causing your dog ...

The TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) was developed to stabilize the canine knee joint after a CCL tear. This surgical procedure involves changing the biomechanics of the knee by cutting and rotating the tibia to ...

Because the CCL cannot heal on its own, the knee joint will remain unstable without surgery. The instability results in pain, inflammation, arthritis, and possible meniscal damage. The associated discomfort results in more severe lameness ...

Although dogs can live with a torn ACL, their quality of life will be negatively affected. Partial tears can be managed with activity modification and pain medications, but the lameness and discomfort will likely worsen ...

Alternatives to TPLO surgery include lateral suture (extracapsular repair), TightRope, or TTA surgeries. We recommend the TPLO because it has the highest success and lowest complication rates. If complications occur, they are generally easier to ...

With effective pain management, dogs can undergo major surgery relatively comfortably. Typically, the first 48 hours after surgery are the most painful, but pre-emptive (before the pain even starts) analgesia goes a long way in ...

With a knowledgeable and well-equipped anesthesia team, yes. Our board-certified anesthesiologist has extensive training and experience in anesthetizing pets with a variety of systemic conditions, such as heart disease. Our experienced anesthesia nurses have trained ...

Full recovery from TPLO surgery depends on the severity of lameness before surgery, degree of CCL tear (partial or full), presence or absence of meniscal injury, and participation in a physical rehabilitation program. While bone ...