ACL surgery

Question
My dog has a "slightly torn" ACL on her back knee, and we were told she may need surgery. Are there any alternatives to acl surgery? Is this a common & recommended procedure? my dog will be 6 this June. also, is pet insurance a smart thing to have for dogs? we're wondering about that for the future, because if our dog needs this surgery, it's going to be a big hit for our wallets!

Answer
Hello Becky -

Without knowing a full history of your pet and how bad his ACL is torn I cannot tell you to wait on the surgery.

I can tell you the closest alternative would be to begin a supplementation of Glucosamine Chondroitin and MSM. These two products have had high results with aiding humans and pets with arthritic and joint concerns. This is the best alternative option I can tell you at this point. You could try to begin a regimen of these supplements, its takes a good month for you to see improvement. If you see a change you may want to hold off on the surgery for a little while and watch your pets mobility.

There is also a supplement called SAM-e that works in conjunction with the above-mentioned supplements. SAM-e helps retard arthritis and will reduce chances of osteoarthritis setting in from current joint damage. This is also a safe supplement to give your pet.

I am not promising any changes but it is a thought before you hand your pet over to the knife. You may want to look into physical rehabilitation. There are a lot of pet clinics that offer rehab even if surgery did not occur. Since there is only a slight tare you maybe able to work through it with special excercises and the supplements.

This is a common procedure and becomes recommended when the ACL is usually completely torn. Vets bring this to your attention when the ACL is slightly torn because it can become a future concern and they want you to know what may happen. I suggest if you do follow through with the surgery that you at least put your dog on the Glucosamine Chondoroitin supplement. This will help all joints, tendons, muscles etc from future tares and will help in the repair of the ACL after surgery.

As far as pet insurance, it's a lot like human health insurance. Ask a lot of questions before you purchase it. Some vets don't accept it either so be sure to ask. The insurance may consider the torn ACL a pre-existing condition and your pet would not be covered for surgery. I don't have it for my pets. I have a Golden Retriever and a cat and both are treated naturally unless something more severe occurs (knock on wood nothing yet!). I am reading a flyer now about pet insurance and it reads "A pre-existing condition prior to the policy effective date may be covered during the policy term ONLY if the condition has been cured". I don't think this would work for your case.

I hope this information has helped you and your pet.

If you would like information on natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at wintersaurora@yahoo.com. I also have a catalog of home made herbal remedies which you can receive by request. For more information about me and my practice, please visit my webpage at www.wintersaurora.byregion.net.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist