Surgery options for Large Breeds: Ligament Injury

Question
Hi again!

I had asked before about ligament injuries, and wanted to know if you thought there were options for large breed dogs (he's 115 lbs) when it comes to the cruciate injury.

Is TPLO the only way to go? Are the potential complications worth it? Is the suture method OK with large breeds, or does it have too high a rate of failure?

Also... is not doing surgery and getting a brace to keep the leg in position a possible way to go - or will it truly lead to many more problems later on than surgery would?

Answer
Large breed dogs usually always need surgery to completely repair the problem with a torn ligament.  You can try rest and NSAIDs for 6 weeks to see how he ends up using the leg, but there will most likely be residual lameness off and on and arthritis will definitely develop.

I am not an orthopedic specialist and can not advise you on the best option of TPLO vs. replacement ligament with suture.  You should really make an appointment with an orthopod to get a specialist's opinion and s/he can tell you risks, complications and success rates with each procedure.