[OwnedByJezebel]

You can't see a torn ligament with an x-ray. An experienced ortho can tell based on the way that the bones are aligned and whether they are able to manipulate the joint in a certain way.

After Jezebel tore her CCL, she did not limp all of the time. During her exam with the ortho, she even got loose out of the back door of the exam room and ran around the vet clinic. Yet, the pictures from the little orthroscopic camera used during the repair surgery just a few days later showed broken strands from the ligament floating free in the synovial fluid in the joint.

Those specialists are VERY busy. I mean really, really busy. They have no need to recommend surgery that is not needed just to get extra cha-ching, there are plenty of animals with legitimate injuries to keep them booked up.

That being said, you may find out that there is no tear and that all the problems are due to LP, and at that age a surgeon probably wouldn't recommend surgery unless the LP was at stage IV. No jumping, etc.

But you really need to know. LP only with no tear, good news. CCL tear, not so good but it does need intervention or it will tear further and eventually wear down the meniscus (in as little as 6 months) and cause lameness. If it is a tear, you really want to take care of it before it starts to wear down that cushioning between the femur and tibia/fibula.

Knowledge is power. By not knowing you could be taking a big risk.