Cruciate Ligament injuries
“We help people who are worried about their dog’s health and want their dog to lead a
more active, normal and pain free life!”
At Butterwick Animal Rehabilitation, we understand how distressing it can be to see your beloved dog in pain due to a canine cruciate ligament injury. This common dog knee injury affects the stability of your pet’s knee joint, often causing significant discomfort and limiting mobility. Our specialised treatments, including non-surgical dog injury treatment, dog physiotherapy, and dog hydrotherapy, are designed to help your furry friend recover and regain their active, pain-free life. Located in Darlington, we are dedicated to providing compassionate and effective canine rehab to ensure your pet’s best possible recovery.
What is a cruciate ligament?
There are two cruciate ligaments found in the knee: the cranial cruciate ligament is located in the centre of the knee and the caudal cruciate ligament is located at the back of the knee. It is common for the cranial cruciate ligament to rupture in dogs, whereas it is uncommon to have issues with the caudal cruciate ligament. These ligaments are like strong pieces of rope, which connect the femur (the bone at the top of the leg) to the tibia (the bone at the bottom of the leg) and allow the knee joint to work successfully as a hinge. The ligament can worsen over time, much like a fraying rope, or it can suddenly rupture completely due to an injury. Often it happens when our dogs are simply skidding, twisting, or jumping for a ball or toy..
How do I recognise a cruciate injury in my dog?
Symptoms depend on the breed of dog and the severity of the ligament rupture, and can vary from a slight limp to not being able to place down the leg at all, so look out for these things:
- limping/ lameness with either of the back legs
- stiffness of the back legs, especially when arising or sitting down.
- An unusual gait
- swelling over the knee joint
- unwillingness to exercise
The management or solution to a cruciate injury depends on the severity of the rupture. In severe cases, your veterinarian may suggest surgery, but conservative management can often be used to avoid this and is a less invasive option. When surgery is the correct option for your pet, hydrotherapy and/or physiotherapy can be used pre and post surgery to help speed up recovery, although this would be hugely tailored around your pet’s surgery and how they are recovering. Gentle veterinary physiotherapy sessions and/or laser or pulse mag therapy may be more suitable at first, until your pet can manage more strenuous exercise in our hydrotherapy department.
Unfortunately, due to the strain and weight put on the opposite, healthy limb, the cruciate ligament can often also rupture in the other leg and usually within 12 months if no rehab is undertaken. If the dog has undergone physiotherapy/ hydrotherapy, the muscle will be built up around both the knee joints, taking strain off the ligaments, and considerably lowering the chance of this happening.
How We Can Help
Physiotherapy One of our knowledgeable veterinary physiotherapists will examine your dog’s movement and posture, and then design a tailored plan to target your dog’s individual needs. Our goal is to get them back to feeling happier and pain-free. This personalized plan includes a home exercise regimen for you to follow, which complements the treatment carried out in our clinic.
Our clients have seen remarkable improvements. For example, one of our clients shared, “My Labrador, Rex, suffered from a cruciate ligament injury and was struggling to move around. After just a few weeks of physiotherapy at Butterwick, Rex was back to his old self, running and playing like before. The staff were amazing and very knowledgeable.”
LASER Therapy Our veterinary physiotherapists also offer LASER therapy for your beloved furry friend. This treatment uses light at different frequencies, wavelengths, and powers to optimize the body’s natural healing process. The light energy passes through the skin into the cells, initiating photobiostimulation, similar to photosynthesis in plants. This therapy not only enhances the body’s regeneration process but also encourages the release of endorphins and collagen, improves blood circulation, and consequently increases mobility while reducing pain and swelling.
Pulse Magnetic Therapy You may have heard people talk about ‘Pulse Mag’ online. This therapy uses pulsed electromagnetic fields at different frequencies, which restore the damaged cells to their ‘healthy’ electrical charge. This process optimizes normal cellular functions, improving the healing rate of bones, nerves, and soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, muscles, and skin, while also providing pain relief.
Hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy is extremely beneficial in managing or healing a cruciate ligament injury. At Butterwick Animal Rehabilitation Centre, we are fortunate to offer both a hydrotherapy pool and two underwater treadmills, each providing specific benefits. The warmth of the water soothes aching joints and relaxes tight muscles, relieving pain. The buoyancy supports your dog, making it easier to exercise and develop normal movement patterns. Exercising in water provides resistance that helps build muscle, which may have been lost due to inactivity caused by pain. The hydrostatic pressure of the water reduces swelling, allowing for increased joint movement and decreased pain.
Another happy client mentioned, “Our Border Collie, Bella, had a severe cruciate ligament injury. Hydrotherapy at Butterwick was a game-changer for her. She went from barely being able to walk to enjoying her daily runs again. The team’s dedication and care made all the difference.”
Success Stories
Many dogs have regained their strength and mobility through our programs. For example, Daisy, a 7-year-old Labrador, came to us with a severe cruciate ligament injury. After a series of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy sessions, Daisy is now back to her playful self, enjoying long walks and games of fetch.
Another client shared, “Our Beagle, Milo, had a cruciate ligament injury and we were worried about his recovery. The comprehensive care he received at Butterwick was exceptional. Milo’s progress was amazing, and now he’s back to his usual playful self. We can’t thank the team enough.”
what does Conservative management mean and include:
Weight Control: Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is crucial to prevent any extra strain on their joints and ligaments. Feel free to ask us in the clinic about how to help your dog lose or maintain a healthy weight – we’re more than happy to help!
Controlled Exercise Regime: It is important to ensure your dog doesn’t over-exercise and cause themselves undue pain afterwards. Your dog will receive a tailored exercise plan from one of our experienced veterinary physiotherapists during their appointments. This will go a long way to avoiding further injury and helping your dog back to normal
Medication: Your veterinarian may prescribe anti-inflammatories and pain relief to help manage a cruciate ligament injury.
Joint Supplements: Dogs who have suffered a cruciate ligament injury are at high risk of developing osteoarthritis. This is because when the cruciate ligament is damaged, it can result in a change in the way the joint moves, damaging the meniscus—a cartilage that acts as a cushion inside the joint. Joint supplements can help lubricate the joints and may slow down this process. If you’re unsure about what to buy, and there’s a lot out there now but they are not created equally – we can advise you on which ones are best for your dog.
Conservative management in the context of canine cruciate ligament injuries involves several non-surgical approaches aimed at alleviating pain, improving function, and promoting healing. This strategy is typically considered for partial tears or when surgery is not an immediate option. It encompasses several elements, including:
- Weight Control: Maintaining an optimal weight to reduce stress on the injured knee.
- Activity Modification: Restricting high-impact activities and encouraging controlled exercises.
- Medications: Using anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers to manage symptoms.
- Physiotherapy: Implementing specific exercises and therapies to strengthen the muscles around the knee and improve mobility and ultimately improved quality of life.
- Hydrotherapy: Utilising water-based exercises to support and strengthen the affected limb while minimising strain.
- Assistive Devices: Using braces or supports to stabilize the knee during the healing process. We can help here too as there are a lot of rubbish ones and some great supports out there.
Conservative management ultimtately aims to provide relief and functional improvement while minimising the need for surgical intervention.
Enquire about getting started
We know you want the best of the best for your dog, and we also know you’re a busy person. If you want to get your dog back to being happier, healthier and doing what you both love and want to get booked in – click on the link below and fill out the short form for information about getting booked in and availability.
Enquire about free taster session
Not sure? No problem! Why not bring your dog in for a free, non-obligatory session in which we see what’s wrong, what can be done so you have all the information you need and start getting both you and your dog feeling more optimistic about the future? We mean it – no fees, no obligation, nothing: all we want is to meet you and to say ‘hi’ to your best friend. Click the link below to get booked in, now.
Talk to a Vet Physiotherapist
We know how difficult it is to trust someone else when it comes to the health of your dog. It’s just so hard. So, that’s exactly why we also know how important it is for you to ask all the questions you have, find out all the answers you need, and for you and your dog to trust us. So, give us a call to chat to one of our Vet Physio. We’d love to meet you and find out more about how we can help your dog, right now, just click the link below.
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