Dog Knee Replacement Surgery

The knee is the most commonly replaced joint in the body.

Dog knee replacement surgery.

Finding out if you need knee surgery. This means that dogs who live with other energetic dogs must be confined. If your dog suffers a knee injury or a chronic condition dog knee surgery may be helpful in restoring his lost mobility and reducing pain. Physical therapy is important particularly with this surgery as your dog adjusts to the new angle of their knee joint.

After surgery the dog needs careful limited exercise and physical therapy for several months to get the knee back in shape during the healing process. Knee replacement surgery which can take 1 to 2 hours has become so precise that doctors can choose from a variety of knee designs that suit your height weight and activity level. This can run well over 1 000. But your orthopedic surgeon won t make the decision to operate lightly.

Total knee replacement may however be offered when your dog s pain can no longer be managed using conservative means. He said he routinely finds arthritic changes in dogs which have waited. Dog knee surgery can utilize several techniques including cutting the ligaments patellar ligament desmotomy surgical replacement of one of the ligaments femoropatellar ligament transplantation of the tibial crest and osteomy reshaping of the tibia or femur. But people have valid concerns when contemplating surgery such as.

This surgery varies from the aforementioned procedures because it does not address the ligament attaching to the knee joint but rather changes the bone structure so that the ligament is no. The most common knee injury in dogs is a canine cruciate injury whereby the ligaments surrounding the kneecap become inflamed or in some cases ruptured. A dog s knees are configured with a kneecap and ligaments connecting the femur to the tibia. If your dog s knee pain is effectively controlled with drugs and rehabilitation it is unlikely joint replacement surgery would be recommended for your pet.

Follow your vet s post op instructions while this is going to seem like a no brainer but first and foremost follow your surgeon s rehab schedule to a t. Ccl surgery is the most common orthopedic surgery performed in dogs and is said to make up 85 of all dog orthopedic surgeries performed every year. My dog s surgeon reported that surgery is the best treatment to stabilize the joint especially in larger heavier dogs. Dog knee stifle joint fractures.