CRANIAL CRUCIATE INJURY IN DOGS: A Second Option

CCL IS FAR LESS IN INTACT ANIMALS THAN IN STERILIZED PETS. POSTPONE SPAYING UNTIL YOUR PET IS TWO YEARS OLD

The knee is a fairly complicated joint; it consists of the femur bone above the kneecap, the tibia bone below it in front, and the bean-like flabella found behind chunks of cartilage. Called the medial and lateral menisci, they fit between the femur and tibia like cushions.

There are two cruciate ligaments that cross inside the knee joint – the cranial cruciate and the caudal cruciate. The Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) prevents the tibia from slipping forward, out from under the femur. A ruptured cranial cruciate ligament is the most common knee injury in dogs.

There are many reasons hypothesized as to the prevalence of CCL injury in recent years. Studies have shown that the incidence of CCL in intact animals is far less than in sterilized pets. For this reason, it is recommended to postpone spaying and neutering until your dog is at least two years old. This will allow for proper formation of collagen and musculoskeletal structure.

The most common treatment recommended in a conventional veterinary practice is knee surgery. Different techniques are employed, the most common are Tibial-Plateau-Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO), and Extracapsular surgery.

There are some concerns about the TPLO technique as it involves making profound changes in the joint angle by cutting part of the tibia and re-attaching it with screws and plates. (Further detail about the surgery can be found online or through your family veterinarian).

The Better Option

We have had an 80%+ success rate with alternative treatment for patients suffering from an injured cranial cruciate ligament; they did not need to undergo surgery. Several factors play a crucial role in recovery.

• Diet:  A toxin-free whole food diet that is grain-free and consisting mainly of veggies and meat is recommended.
• Exercise:  A careful evaluation is undertaken, and level of injury determined, prior to the design of a case-specific Rehabilitation program, which is then implemented and monitored for progress.
• Homeopathic Remedies: A combination of herbs with excellent anti-inflammatory capabilities are employed, again case-specific in nature and makeup.

Through the combination of proper diet, exercise program, weight loss, herbal remedies and an innovative procedure called Biopuncture and Autosanguis (injection of complex homeopathic remedies, mixed with the patient’s own blood, into certain Acupuncture points), our patients regain normal knee function within six to eight weeks. In approximately 10% of cases the treatment will take up to six months.