Cruciate Ligament Repairs in Dogs

Let’s get your dog right back to it!

Cruciate ligament injuries are the most common orthopaedic problem in dogs. If your pet suddenly begins limping or holding up a hind leg, this could be a sign of a torn cruciate ligament. This ligament is crucial for stabilising the knee joint, and when it tears — often from a twist while running or jumping — it can cause significant pain.

If not treated promptly, cruciate injuries can lead to further complications such as meniscal tears, kneecap issues and arthritis. That’s why it’s important to have your pet examined as soon as possible. Early intervention with surgery is key to helping your pet make a full recovery and return to their normal activities.

At Rockdale Veterinary Hospital our skilled surgeon, Dr Michael Stephen, is extremely experienced in both Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery and the Lateral Sutures (nylon implants) surgery. He will assess your pet’s needs, age, and size to determine the most suitable treatment for the best possible outcome.

With proper care, most pets recover well and are soon back to enjoying their favourite activities. If you suspect a cruciate injury, don’t hesitate—reach out today to help your dog get back on their feet!

TPLO Cruciate Surgery

$4800
  • We guarantee surgery within 7 days
  • Price includes: TPLO surgery and post-op radiographs on the day of surgery
  • PLUS the first 4 post-operative checks at which time we give a course of zydax injections to promote long term joint health
  • Please note: any complications experienced will incur additional costs that would be discussed with you at the time.
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Cruciate Surgery 101

Our experienced surgeons will discuss the options, costs and pro’s and con’s with you. We generally recommend the options of Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomies (TPLO’s) for dogs above 8kg and lateral sutures (nylon implants) for smaller dogs and cats.

We know that different breeds have different risk profiles for cruciate injuries. This is mainly based on their anatomy and the angle of the average angle of the joint in each particular breed. Some of the common breeds for cruciate rupture in dogs include:

  • Large breeds: German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Huskies, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Malamutes, Standard Poodles,
  • Medium breeds: Cocker Spaniels, Kelpies, Border Collies, Blue Heelers,
  • Small breeds: Cavoodles, Poodles, French Bulldogs

The cruciate ligament is the main ligament within the stifle (knee) joint of dogs. It’s job is to firmly hold the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) in place during the knee’s normal range of movement.  Cruciate injuries are normally due to a mix of weakness in this cruciate ligament over time that then suddenly gives way, often with a twisting motion like chasing a ball or jumping. The subsequent tear in the ligament can either be a partial or a full tear but either way the damage is irreversible.

We know statistically that 50% of dogs that tear one cruciate ligament will tear the other cruciate ligament within 2 years. For that reason, getting the best possible surgical outcome and monitoring weight closely will give us the best chance for a great outcome long term.

Prior to performing cruciate surgery, we require x-rays of your dog or cat’s knees and hips. We use these x-rays to:

  • confirm the torn cruciate diagnosis
  • assess your pet’s anatomy to help guide the appropriate procedure for cruciate repair is taken as it is somewhat dependent on each pet’s individual anatomy
  • measure up implants prior to surgery
  • assess the underlying health of the knee and hip joints to give you the most accurate outcome following surgery

X-rays are taken under sedation or anaesthetic and can be performed by us at an additional cost on a day prior to surgery or by a referring veterinarian but are mandatory prior to surgery.

In a TPLO procedure, we need to make a cut and reshape the tibia (shin bone) to change the angle of the knee joint. By doing so, we are able to neutralise the forces that cause instability in the knee when the cruciate ligament is torn. Essentially, by reshaping the knee, we are taking away the actual need for the cruciate to exist in the first place, so your dog can happily live without the cruciate ligament that was torn.

Steps Involved in TPLO Surgery:

  1. Anesthesia: General anesthesia is administered to ensure the dog remains pain-free and immobile throughout the procedure.
  2. Incision and Exposure: A small incision is made to access the knee joint, and the damaged ligament is assessed and torn curciate fragments are removed.
  3. Tibia Osteotomy: The tibia (shin bone) is carefully cut using a specialized saw, and the tibial plateau is rotated to the correct angle, which we calculate prior to surgery and based on your dog’s x-rays.
  4. Plate and Screw Fixation: Once the tibia is re-positioned, the bone is stabilised using a plate and screws. This ensures the tibia remains in the new position as it heals.
  5. Wound Closure: After the bone is stabilised, the incision is closed, and the surgical site is monitored for infection or complications.
  6. Post-op X-rays: X-rays are taken immediately after surgery to confirm the new angle of the knee and that the position of the plate and screws is correct.
  7. Hospital Stay and Recovery: We keep your pet for 24 hours in hospital with us to monitor their recovery and provide extremely strong pain relief via a drip for the first 24 hours before going home to continue the recovery.

Rest and exercise moderation is a key factor for dogs recovering from cruciate surgery and we will guide you throughout the recovery period.

The first 10-14 days include strict cage rest, where the only time your dog comes out of the pen is to go to the toilet (always on lead so they can’t make sudden running movements). We also ask you to ice the surgical site for the first few days post-operatively and then once the swelling has reduce we ask you to start with passive range of motion exercises.

From the 2-6 week period your dog will still need to be strictly cage-rested, however we now get you taking them on increasingly longer on-lead walks. These will increase by 5-10 minutes each week, so that a couple of months after surgery they should be tolerating 30 minute walks well.

At 8-12 weeks we recommend repeating x-rays of your dog’s knee to ensure healing is on track and so that we can instruct you to continue to increase exercise intensity and frequency with confidence. After 4 months of healing your dog should be ready to run around again and go back to a full and fun life!

Following TPLO surgery, our aim is always to get the best outcome possible for your dog!  Many studies have looked at the outcomes following TPLO surgery and it is generally accepted that 80% to 90% of dogs experience significant improvement in lameness and pain after TPLO surgery, with many dogs returning to normal or near-normal levels of activity. A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) found that 85% of dogs had excellent to good functional outcomes post-surgery.

Every surgical procedure has potential complications and worldwide studies show that there is a 10-20% complication rate in TPLO’s. For this reason we make our selection of which procedure to use based on your particular dog’s anatomy, temperament and age.

The complications range from haemorrhage at the time of surgery, to minor infections at the surgical incision, meniscal injuries following surgery, loosening of the screws, movement of the plates, infection of the implants or fractures  of the shin bone from the implants. Although some complications require further intervention and cost, we always work with you to get the best outcome possible for your pet.

Cruciate TPLO Surgery in Dogs - Rockdale Veterinary Hospital

Gap Only Payments Available!

We work directly with most insurance companies so that you only have to pay the gap for any hospital treatment or surgery. Sorted!

Gap only treatment available at Macquarie Veterinary Hospital in North Ryde