We perform many types of orthopedic (bone) surgeries in our clinic. Because we want to ensure that our patients receive the best possible outcome, we occasionally refer them to board-certified orthopedic surgeons to perform very complex surgeries.
Cranial cruciate disease is our most common orthopedic problem presented at our clinic. This condition is most like a human tearing their ACL (a ligament in the knee) in a sports injury. Unlike in humans, pets rarely tear their cranial cruciate ligament as a result of an athletic injury. Some breeds and mixes are set up to have too much stress physically placed on the stifle (knee) joint. The result is gradual tearing of ligament, ultimately resulting in a complete rupture. Since more dogs with this condition tend to be larger breeds and mixes, the most common orthopedic procedure our mobile surgeons perform here is the TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy). In this procedure, the tibia (bone below the stifle) is cut with a saw so that the portion of the tibia that is part of the stifle can be rotated to give better stability and function to the joint. A bone plate is then placed over the intentionally created fracture. This fracture will then take 8 weeks to heal.
