CCL rupture in 12 yo golden retriever

Question
Patti - 7 weeks ago my 121/2 year old golden retriever, Annie, began limping badly after squatting to urinate.  The vet said she had "blown out" her knee and sent her home on Tramodol and Robaxin.  The vet said to wait 2 months and he would re-evaluate.  She hasn't improved much but is walking on her own, but only to go out in the backyard for short periods of time.  She already had progressive arthritis in her back and knees before the injury, but we still took daily walks around the neighborhood.  Her general health is very good and so is her mind.  Would you recommend surgery for a dog of this age?

Answer
Hi Laurie,

Age isn't necessarily a major factor in anesthetic safety. Your vet should do a pre-anesthetic examination which should include lab work, to check for any hidden problems that could impact on anesthesia such as kidney disease or diabetes that are more common in older dogs. As long as the exam and tests seem normal there should be no significant increase in risk in anesthetizing an older dog.

Just the fact that Annie has lived to be over twelve years old is a good sign that her body works well and is not likely to have a serious hidden defect that would lead to sensitivity to anesthesia.

Tolerating surgery is only half of this, whether or not Annie will benefit from surgery is something you should discuss with your vet, because she already has degenerative joint disease. At her age, it might be necessary to accept Annie's limited mobility as just a fact of living with an older dog.
Talk to your vet about the possible complication following CCL surgery. These will vary with the type of procedure performed, but in general infection, surgical wound problems, bandaging problems, implant failure, fracture, patella luxation, and failure to return to function are the most common.

To me, it sounds like Annie has improved... she's able to walk on her own! For a 12 year old dog, I think you can expect recovery to be this slow, but like I said, she's making progress, and that's what counts!

An nonsurgical option might be a leg brace. These days there are  leg braces available that stabilizes the knee joint after cranial cruciate injuries. You can read about these leg brace here:

http://www.woundwear.com/product3.cfm#Biomechanics

http://www.handicappedpets.biz/www/pet-products/help-pets-walk/99-k9-dog-orthoti...

Talk to your vet about helping Annie walk with a sling (an old towel works well) placed under her belly to help support her. You can also buy slings made especially for dogs who have difficulty standing or walking. One brand to look for is The K-9 Caddie Dog Sling. If you know how to sew, you could probably look at the pictures at this website and make your own: http://www.k9caddie.com/k9caddie.html

Here directions for how to make a dog sling:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2208914_walking-sling-dog.html

There is also a product called "The Bottoms Up Rear End Support Leash" that helps animals with with arthritis, dysplasia, or any other skeletal or muscular problems. It allows a dog to pee and poop while being supported by a person. It takes the dog's weight off her hind legs. Annie would still go through the walking motion, getting needed exercise.  

Helping Annie to exercise with the help of a sling can make her stronger, which may make it possible for her to walk on her own for longer periods of time. Start out slow, and build to longer strolls over the period of a few weeks. Of course, talk to your veterinarian about how much exercise Annie should receive. Your vet might be able to recommend other exercises that will help Annie get stronger.

If you aren't already doing so, it might help to give Annie a Chondroitin sulfate/glucosamine supplement. This would be need to be given daily, and it can take 4-6 weeks to reach therapeutic levels. Cosequin is a brand commonly recommended by vets. Ask your vet about the correct dose.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti