Please let some advice/help...two torn ACLs.Question:My lab, Jackson, was hit by a car on Friday (11/2/2007). He escaped the fenced in yard we have while I was at work. The good news is that he is still living and not hurt too badly. His front end/legs are great, but the back end suffered the worst. He has a little road rash on his testicles and on the inside of his rear legs. However, he cannot support his rear end with his back legs. He is very weak in the legs and tries to get his rear off the ground but everytime he picks up his rear legs his legs shake and he undoubtedly falls down. The vet preformed X-rays after giving him anesthesia immediately after the incident. X-rays were good showing no fractures, breaks, or internal injuries. However, the vet says he thinks Jackson an ACL tear in each knee causing the stability problems. I am just wondering if there are any members on the board who are ortheopedic specialists, vets, or maybe someone who has had a lab who has had knee surgery who could maybe give me some insight. I am just terribly upset and do not know what to do/think. He is scheduled to see a specialist at the UGA Vet Med tomorrow morning. Jackson is 1.5 years old, and has great hips. He weighs about 90lbs and is just full of energy. He is a soild dog, and he is truly my best friend. I am young, just out of college, and I just started work two months ago. I really have little savings and so far it looks like the two surgeries would be the biggest expenditure I would ever have to make. A friend of mine did some research and says there are non-profits who seem to help out animals in need of expensive surgery and whose owners do not have the monetary capability to give the help needed. Does anyone know of these types of non-profits or how I can get in touch with one? So again, I am just looking for specific help and not any bashing, tounge lashing, or praise. Please help me out if you have any knowledge in this area. I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thanks! Sincerely, Nathan Hammond Answer: Please let some advice/help...two torn ACLs. My lab, Jackson, was hit by a car on Friday (11/2/2007). He escaped the fenced in yard we have while I was at work. The good news is that he is still living and not hurt too badly. His front end/legs are great, but the back end suffered the worst. He has a little road rash on his testicles and on the inside of his rear legs. However, he cannot support his rear end with his back legs. He is very weak in the legs and tries to get his rear off the ground but everytime he picks up his rear legs his legs shake and he undoubtedly falls down. The vet preformed X-rays after giving him anesthesia immediately after the incident. X-rays were good showing no fractures, breaks, or internal injuries. However, the vet says he thinks Jackson an ACL tear in each knee causing the stability problems. I am just wondering if there are any members on the board who are ortheopedic specialists, vets, or maybe someone who has had a lab who has had knee surgery who could maybe give me some insight. I am just terribly upset and do not know what to do/think. He is scheduled to see a specialist at the UGA Vet Med tomorrow morning. Jackson is 1.5 years old, and has great hips. He weighs about 90lbs and is just full of energy. He is a soild dog, and he is truly my best friend. I am young, just out of college, and I just started work two months ago. I really have little savings and so far it looks like the two surgeries would be the biggest expenditure I would ever have to make. A friend of mine did some research and says there are non-profits who seem to help out animals in need of expensive surgery and whose owners do not have the monetary capability to give the help needed. Does anyone know of these types of non-profits or how I can get in touch with one? So again, I am just looking for specific help and not any bashing, tounge lashing, or praise. Please help me out if you have any knowledge in this area. I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thanks! Sincerely, Nathan Hammond Nate: I am so sorry to hear about what happened to Jackson. I have no knowledge in that area, personally. It sounds like you are on the right track. I live in Texas....from what I have heard, my Vet is one of the best in the state next to Texas A&M vet school for ACL repairs. Please keep us updated on his progress. susan Answer: Thanks Susan! I am reading a lot of literature on the internet about it right now. Answer: My lab had surgery for that when she was 7 yrs old (only one knee though) and it's a 6-12 wk recovery. I'm sorry that this has happened to Jackson. They can start to put weight on their legs as soon as they are able but they have to go slow on any distance walking or exercise. In other words---out to pee and poop and back inside again. She recovered completely from it. Answer: I am so sorry to hear about your Jackson... You can try applying for assistance to: http://www.labradorlifeline.org/guidelines.htm I hear they are a wonderful organization. Good luck to you and I will keep your Jackson in my prayers. Answer: I am sorry to hear what has happened to you and your pup. I live in St. Petersburg florida. My labs father had an accident when he was nine months old. His owner had him in the back of her truck and him being a nine month old lab jumped off. I know there was injuries to his knee and hip. Any ways, she took him to Tampa bay Vet. 1501 Belcher Rd. S. Largo Fl 33771 7275315752. She spoke highly of the vet who did his orthopedic surgery. I know it was expensive. She was very impressed with them and she is a physician. So if she was impressed they had to be good, Sometimes if you write to the surgeons and explain the situation they will do the surgeries for free. I know this is so recent. but don't give up hope. It might not be as bad as you think. Answer: Thanks to everyone who has responded. I appreciate all the links and help regarding Jackson's incident. I will report back after the visit to UGA Vet Med tomorrow. Answer: Jackson saw the UGA Vet today and they diagnosed his left knee as an ACL tear. The right knee is worse with an ACL and MCL tear. They are supposed to perform TPLO surgery on his right knee tomorrow or Wednesday after a full and thorough exam while he is anestetized tomorrow morning. He is supposed to have the same procedure on his left knee in 8 weeks. Hopefully everything will work out and he will come out ok. I just left him in Athens today and I already miss him. Answer: NAte, Hopefully Jackson is doing better. Lucky had the TPLO surgery on both legs last year, she will be 5 in a few weeks. She is doing really good. The hardest part was keeping her quiet. It cost $5,000. for both knees. Good to both of you. Answer: Keep us posted Nate, our thoughts and prayers to you both! Answer: Good luck with everything. Our boy tore 2 cruciates a few years back, just on his own, it cost us $6K to fix them. Look into Carecredit, they will give you 0 percent interest for 6 months and most vets take it. It can also be used for human medical and dental. Answer: Dr. Danielson (Dougie Houser) called from UGA and gave me the update/diagnosis by the senior clinician in orthopedics. He said Jackson's right knee is clearly worse than the left knee. They have not put him under anesthesia yet, so they are still somewhat unsure as to what all is ruptured. They think that the ACL, MCL, and CCL are torn in the right knee; he said it was really a mess. The procedure they suggested Sunday, a TPLO, will not work if the CCL is ruptured. So, what they are going to do is open up his knee, and take a look around. If the CCL is torn, they will perform a lateral suture procedure. If it is not torn, they will perform a TPLO. The lateral suture is less invasive and does not require and reshaping of bones. The TPLO is more invasive and requires the bone to be reshaped and plates attached with screws. The left knee is definitely an ACL tear with a possible ligament tear elsewhere. Like I said above, the TPLO will occur unless the CCL is ruptured. The only thing that really changes is the timing of the surgeries. The head clinician wants to get both done in a short time period. He feels that it would be better to go ahead and get both surgeries under way and completed by the end of the week. Dr. Danielson said one will occur today, and the other is scheduled for Wednesday. I am supposed to pick him up Sunday morning. Jackson will come home with either one or two casts on his hind legs from his toes to his hip. The recovery time will be about 12 weeks of confinement (crate) when not in direct supervision. With respect to cost, the severity of the injuries still drives the cost and with either the TPLO or the lateral suture the price will remain about the same. He quoted me at $4,000 - $4,500. The only bad news is the quality of life after the surgery. The doctor reassured me that he had performed the lateral suture technique on another dog recently and he has fully recovered and has only mild arthritis. However, severe arthritis is always a concern and Jackson will likely face an increased risk for it early on in his life. They said that other surgeries may be required for the arthritis in the years to come and possibly an amputation if the arthritis is too severe. I went ahead and allowed the doctors to proceed. Answer: I am glad there is progress! Poor Boy. I'm very confused about the explanation, though. We were told there is no ACL in a dog, that is the human equivalent term for the CCL (Humans have an ACL). Lucy had a partially ruptured CCL and shredded meniscus, for which they performed a TPLO. This descrption from Seattle matches what we were told: http://www.animalsurgical.com/services/surgery_tplo.php Recovery is not as bad as they make it sound! Our pup is not suffering at all. Regardless, I am glad they are getting him sorted out! A glass of wine for you tonight to relax. Answer: Diver - You may be correct in that canines do not have "ACLs". The Vet that Jackson saw right after being hit said that the scientific name of the doggie "ACL" is not ACL but rather something else. He said the human ACL and the ligament that preforms the same function in a dog are named differently but work exactly the same and provide the same function. So I think you are right that dogs don't have "ACLs" but they do have similar ligament structures in their knees. Thanks for the continued support and help. I will probably be consuming a few glasses of red tonight. Thanks all. |
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