Best Cruciate Repair Technique for Dogs
Perhaps you heard a yelp, and now you notice your dog is limping on one of his hind legs. Your vet has diagnosed a torn cranial cruciate ligament, one of the most common causes of lameness in dogs. Surgery is recommended. Of course you want to do what’s best for your pet, so you search the internet for information on the upcoming surgery. Instead of peace of mind, you find confusion. You might be feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting information. TPLO…TTA…LSS…TR…it’s like a bowl of alphabet soup! Everything you read seems to offer a different opinion, but which surgery should you choose to give your pet the best chance of a full recovery?
Here is the answer that most veterinary surgeons don’t want you to know: it doesn’t matter!!!
That’s right. In skilled hands, all of the available techniques provide the same success rate.
The first clue is that so many procedures exist for addressing the same injury. If one technique was clearly superior we would all be doing it. The second clue comes from reading between the lines. We would all prefer to have scientific studies that we can wave in the air to support our opinions, but none of the available research has been able to demonstrate that one procedure results in better outcomes than any other. Instead, we defend our chosen technique with phrases such as “…in my opinion,” or “…in my experience,” or “…a popular option.” But if you ask your veterinary surgeon for proof, you will likely be met with a blank stare.
So what should you do?
All surgeons will have a favored technique for addressing torn cranial cruciate ligaments in dogs, one with which they are comfortable and that produces consistent results. Find an experienced surgeon that offers the surgery at a reasonable price with minimal complications. It’s that simple. And a hot cup of coffee in the waiting room wouldn’t hurt either.
