by Misskiwi67 » Wed Feb 11, 2015 5:18 pm
Ryan,
Dogs that rupture ligaments most commonly do so without any traumatic injury. Its a chronic wear and tear rupture that occurs because of the biomechanics of the canine joint. Obesity and genetics probably contribute, but we haven't got it all worked out yet. Because it is a joint problem, and not an injury problem, statistically 50% of dogs will rupture the cruciate in the opposite leg within a year of the first.
If you are struggling with this, I would recommend seeing an orthopedic specialist. They will know more about options like the PRP, which I have no experience with, and they can offer options like scoping the joint to get a visual assessment of the ligament to make sure the diagnosis is correct before proceeding to surgery.
Cruciate rupture is so common in large breed dogs that most vets, including me, will approach a dog with hind leg lameness as "cruciate until proven otherwise." This is probably not best practice medicine, but if you were going to bet the farm on a dog limping on a hind leg, cruciate is the way to go, its that common. So yes, it is absolutely possible its not a cruciate tear. However, if your dog is still lame, thats all the more reason to get a second look at the leg.
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