Dog with a possible ACL tear - what can I do?

I often get questions like this about possible cruciate tears and what to do about it, so I thought I'd make this a blog post, rather than just have it in the comment section.  Just like when we injure a joint or muscle, it does take a rest period to allow it to heal.  Let's hope for a minor strain of the muscle or slight sprain of the ligament.  Once the initial pain and inflammation calms down, an orthopedic surgeon (vet) can fully access the knee and determine if there was an actual tear or not.  Cruciate tears are very common in dogs and by and large, they tend to do well (whether managed conservatively or with surgery).  Some dogs really need the surgery to repair it and others don't.  It's a very individual thing.  I strongly suggest that anyone in this situation seek out a well-respected orthopedic surgeon (rather than relying solely on your regular vet's opinion).  You will get the most accurate and up-to-date information from board-certified orthopedic surgeons who deal with these injuries daily!  Here are Heidi's questions and my response below.

Heidi said...


Hi Julie,

Just found your blog today when googling. My 60 lb mutt injured his leg yesterday, possibly an ACL tear or partial tear. The vet put him on bed rest/pain pills/anti-inflammatories for two weeks, then wants to re-assess. Should I be doing anything in the meantime? Ice? He still seems to be in pain, won't put any weight on his back leg, seems stiff when he moves at all. He was pretty active before and only 3 yrs old, no arthritis or previous injuries. Any suggestions on how to make him more comfortable and speed recovery? I'm not in the Tennessee area, otherwise I'd be on your door step!

Thanks! -- H

April 22, 2010 2:59 PM

Julie Stuart said...

You could ice it. It can't hurt and might help. Though if your dog is pretty hairy, the icing effect probably won't get down to the joint and really make any difference. Icing with dogs works better post-surgery when the leg has been shaved. :) Was the vet pretty confident that it was the knee?

You might try stretching out and massaging his other back leg which is now taking all the extra weight. That will probably feel good to him! If he stands for a while (for example, while eating), will he lower the leg down to the floor or close to the floor? Or is he holding it up tightly to his belly? If he is holding it high, you could try very slowly and gently stretching the thigh back away from the belly (while he is lying on his side and relaxed). If you can do this within his comfort zone (and without moving the painful knee), that could give him some relief.

It sounds to me like the vet is suggesting the right course of action.

Update us again after the 2 weeks of rest (if not before) and let us know how he is doing. Also...what is his name?

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Post-surgery physical therapy for dogs!

Did you know that implementing physical therapy for dogs immediately following orthopedic surgeries can decrease the recovery time, minimize pain, and result in better outcomes?  It's true! 

It's an outdated practice (but unfortunately, still a very common practice) to immobilize the joint/leg with a thick pressure bandage following cruciate repairs, for example.  Veterinarians use the bandage to reduce swelling to the area, prevent the dog from licking at the incision, to "protect" the joint from moving in an undesirable way (and thereby damaging the surgical repair).  But, there are down sides to the bandage.  I have worked with too many dogs to count who started with the bandage and by the time I convinced the vet to remove them (sometimes a day or two after surgery, sometimes longer), the legs were more painful and had lost range of motion (as compared to dogs that never had a bandage put on in the first place).  And guess what?  The dogs that I have treated post-cruciate repair (without a bandage) didn't damage their repairs or have too much swelling.  In the bandage-free dogs, I kept their range of motion good by starting the ROM either the day of or the first day following surgery.  I found that this decreases the pain level too.  I noticed a BIG difference in pain and irritability to touching the leg between these two groups of dogs.  Overall, I vote for no bandage every time!  If your dog needs a cruciate repair, consider asking your surgeon to leave off the bandage and begin ROM, icing, and weight-bearing exercises the day following surgery!