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Originally Posted by dwerten  just curious what they could have done to avoid surgery other than rest with acl injury? DD had it and they did not want me wrapping the leg with ace bandage just said let her rest for 2 months if she is not better in 2 months then she will have to have surgery. Sounds like you did that and in 2 months it did not get better so yours is having to have surgery? 80% of toy breeds do not need the acl surgery but sounds like yours is in the 20% unfortunately  I hope the surgery goes great and did you get a pack n play that rolls from room to room as heard those are the best for after this surgery. I think you did all you could to avoid the surgery |
Well, in my own case, two months ago when Mylee was spayed, I told them there was a problem and she was protective of her right rear leg and intermittantly carries it, but still played hard and showed no signs of pain or discomfort. (I have been around animals my whole life and often notice the smallest things before others, and am quite often told I am overreacting, but I am rarely wrong). So, during her spay they x-rayed her hips and diagnosed hip displasia. Since the hip displasia showed up they didn't look anywhere else and assumed this was her problem. They told me not to limit her exercise and we'd let her tell us when we needed to do something more like pain meds, or even the Femoral Head surgery (the wait and see approach). This was the worst thing I could have done, because she progressively got worse and carried her leg more and has now started with obvious limps, and cannot get comfortable while resting.
Two nights ago she nipped at me when I barely touched her knee and I knew. So I took her back yesterday and told them I didn't want her in pain and we needed to do something and didn't think it was the hip. (I also requested a different vet who I know personally). Sure enough, she had ruptured her ACL and needs surgery. He confirmed, that this was likely what I noticed two months ago, only allowing her free exercise she went from what was likely a minor injury that could "possilby" have healed on its own with rest, to a full blown rupture because we let her continue to play as normal and jump on and off the furniture. He called it a rupture with micro tears in that she probably had the tears and then finally ruptured. It was a lot to absorb, and this is my first experience with this type of issue, so I may have some of this off base a bit. It is also likely that the weak hip contributed to the injury as well as it is on the same side. Sorry so long.