Cruciate Ligament Damage in Dogs

The cranial cruciate ligament is a band of tissue in the stifle joint (knee). Simplistically, it is like a strong elastic holding the knee together. Without it the joint would become unstable, and possibly quite painful.

Ligament damage more commonly affects the cranial cruciate ligament. It can degenerate over time like a rope fraying, or it can rupture suddenly from sudden overload.

Risk Factors:
Predisposed breeds: Labradors, Rottweilers, Boxers, West Highland White Terriers, Newfoundlands.

  • Obesity.

  • Abnormal gait/conformation.

  • Neuter status.

Signs of Cruciate Damage in your dog:

  • Limping on the hindlimbs (mild to severe).

  • “toe touching” – placing only a small amount of weight on the injured leg.

  • Can be sudden during/after exercise or may appear progressively in some dogs.

  • Stiffness on getting up and down.

  • Swelling in the knee joint.

How will we diagnose?

  • Taking a thorough history about when and how the limping occurred.

  • Assessing the gait of the dog.

  • Doing a cranial drawer test – this is when we assess the instability between the lower and upper leg.

    • Sometimes your dog may require a sedative to properly carry out this test.

  • Other diagnostics such as x-rays may be necessary.

How it is treated?

Non-surgical management:

  • Conservative treatment relies on building strength around the knee joint to relieve the strain on the cruciate ligaments.

  • It can sometimes be a suitable option if the dog weighs less than 10kg, if there a mild signs or where the risks of surgery outweigh the benefit.

  • Treatment involves weight control, strict rest with a gradual return to exercise, pain relief and physiotherapy if available.

  • It is important to know that it is not always possible to treat this injury with non-surgical management, and if conservative treatment fails your vet might recommend surgery.

Surgical treatment:

  • There are a few different surgical options for treating cruciate injury in dogs. Some aim to replace the ligament and some aim to make the role of the ligament redundant by altering the bone structure in the joint.

  • The best option can depend on your dog’s weight and size, and also cost constraints of the owner.

Prognosis:

With treatment and well managed recovery, it is highly likely that your dog can return to a relatively normal life.

Around 1/3 of dogs who have had a cruciate ligament injury can develop a similar issue in the other leg later on in life. Therefore, there are some things you can do to protect them:

  • Once recovered, avoid strenuous activity. This includes ball chasing, jumping and skidding.

  • Keep your dog in lean condition to avoid excess pressure on joints.

  • Start your dog on joint supplements.

  • Regular checks for arthritis.