It looks like my 6 yr. old beagle is going to need ligament surgery on her front leg/paw. I have done some research on surgery vs. non-surg. treatment and getting different reviews. I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this type of surgery on dogs. Is the surgery really worth it or will it heal fine on it's own with some tlc?
I would talk to the Vet, however I would also try non surgical approaches before surgery if possible, no need to go under the knife if not necessary. And you can always get a second opinion too.
Going to talk to a vet surgeon next Tues., just wanted to get some opinions before I go. I feel sometimes the surgeons will always recommend surgery because that's how they make their money.
I had surgery about a year ago on my lab. He was 9 at the time. His back leg's ligament failed and caused him to limp real bad. So, we opted for the surgery although it wasn't cheap.
How bad is the limp? Make sure to ask your vet about synthetic ligaments (tight rope, etc.) that may be an option for you especially with smaller dogs.
I researched and researched a ton about surgery for my dog from Greensboro to Wilmington and decided on a vet in Smithfield. To this day I call him with questions and he is super nice to deal with. Make sure whoever does the surgery or recommends the surgery is qualified. I had 4 different opinions on what to do and what was wrong with my dog before we found out what the real issue was. So, just do your homework.
The limp is pretty bad, the only time she will put any weight on the paw is when she is sitting. Right now I have it bandaged up, trying not to cause anymore damage. I am still researching the procedure. How long was the post op recovery for your lab? Does he have full use of the leg now?
We did a TPLO surgery which cuts the bone and installs a plate with screws to help support the knee because the ligament was torn bad. For ligaments, there typically isn't much surgery to fix ligaments, most of them are "band aids" that don't actually do much with the ligament but find other ways to support the joint, etc. At least thats what I've been told in my research. I'm sure there are some that repair the ligament like what is done in humans but not much.
My dog's recovery was not bad. I thought it was short for what was done but the vet said it was delayed due to his high activity levels. In essence, he was on very strict leash only walking 2 times a day for 4-6 weeks then limited from there up to 12 weeks. After 16 weeks the vet said he was 100%. After about 17 weeks or so there was no visable sign of a limp.
However, for a smaller dog that doesn't have to have such an invasive procedure, the recovery time can be much faster
Thanks rockcity,! alot of helpful info in your thread. The surgeon we will talking to on Tues. in Jamestown/GSO and our normal vet was telling me about some ortho( camera/tools on a thread) kind of procedure. I'm glad Jackson is fully recovered.
I'm a member of a forum for American Mastiffs. It seems like, more often than not, a second surgery is needed in the future for the other leg. I don't know if its because the dog changes the way it walks to compensate for the bad leg or what.
we did both rear legs on our dog. from what i remember, 2 surgery's were offered. one ! 1500 per leg, and one at 5k each. The cheaper involved "fixing" the ligament with some fishing line to hold it in place, the other was removing the ligament and changing the way the joint works.
We opted for the cheaper of the two. Similar recovery. several weeks on a very short leash. Its been 4 years now, and so far no issues. If she runs/plays really hard for a day, she develops a limp and it looks sore, but the following day it appears to not bother her.
Either way, money well spent on a young dog.
Now, the getting hit by the car, swallowing a rubber ball/intestinal surgery to remove it..........
