Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
What are the best treatments for dog knee ligament disease?
By Duerr, F M et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2014·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Treatment of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease. A survey of ACVS Diplomates and primary care veterinarians.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A survey of veterinarians revealed that for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD), the most common treatments are extracapsular stabilization for small dogs and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for large dogs. Veterinarians consider the dog's size and activity level when deciding on treatment options. For their own pets or those of close friends, surgeons most often chose TPLO, while primary care vets preferred extracapsular stabilization. Understanding these treatment options can help pet owners discuss the best approach for their dog with their veterinarian.
People also search for: dog knee surgery options · CCLD treatment for small dogs · TPLO recovery for large dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe veterinarians' treatment recommendations and decision-making factors for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD). METHODS: An online survey of American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS)-Diplomates (surgeon group) and primary care veterinarians (practitioner group) was performed. The survey included questions on treatment recommendations for common case scenarios (small or large breed dog with complete or partial CCLD), treatment decision factors, non-surgical treatment options, and actual treatment, if any, provided for a client-owned dog as well as one owned by their family or close friend. RESULTS: The response rate was 42% for the surgeon group (n = 305/723) and four percent for the practitioner group (n = 1145/ 27,771). Extracapsular stabilization (ES) was the most common treatment recommendation for CCLD in small (9.1 kg) breed dogs amongst surgeons and practitioners. Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) was the most common treatment recommendation for CCLD in large (27.2 kg) breed dogs amongst both groups. The two most important treatment decision factors were dog size (78% of practitioners, 69% of surgeons) and activity level (63% of practitioners, 52% of surgeons). The most common treatment provided for a dog of their own or close relation in the surgeon group was TPLO (64%) followed by ES (15%), whereas in the practitioner group it was ES (38%) followed by TPLO (30%). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Extracapsular stabilization and TPLO are the most commonly employed surgical procedures in the surveyed population; dog size and activity level (but not age) are the major factors influencing treatment decisions.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25328024/