So far just trying to find a decent brace. She is a pittie mix that seems to be right in between a M and a L. We have a brace showing up today. Going to try some DMSO and limit activity.
@@paulish22 braces are a tough call, especially for a non-custom fitted brace, like the ones you can buy on Amazon. Whether they’re $30 or $300 doesn’t matter because they don’t control the backward slippage of the femur on the tibia. Even a custom-fitted brace’s ability to control that slippage is questionable. Are you part of my cruciate Facebook group? Here’s the link if you want to join. m.facebook.com/groups/RunAgainRover/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF I can probably find the video of how those Neoprene braces don’t work.
Oh boy. We let him walk too far. First mistake. We did so many things "right" but his tendency to chase, one time gate left open and he was off, which led to a full tear. I hear ya. Gotta follow the vet's advice. It means so much to see your videos because we've been down that road. Our (even more) expensive brace is in the garage. Maybe if we'd really understood or saw this video for example our dog might have been able to avoid surgery. But the money spent avoiding TPLO could have been spent on the surgery. It's not as scary as it sounds. He might have made it, but he is HIGH energy and born to hunt! Thank you. I get everything you're saying. 🙏
We are a month into this journey with one of our Siberian Huskies. After the drawer test, the vet believes it is probably only a partial tear on both legs; our 7 y.o. girl is absolutely willing to put weight on both of them. We've been pretty diligent with CM for the last month, and the Gabapentin has helped. She is also on Rimadyl, which I am hoping to replace with CBDs as soon as possible (they cannot be taken together). She was 64 lb. (ideal is 52-55) but with a low-calorie diet she's losing between .5 - 1lb a week, and we'll get her down there as soon as we safely can. We got the custom bilateral Animal Ortho Care knee braces, which we've had for 6 days now. We're seeing a vet certified in rehabilitation and will start the water treadmill and cold laser next week. I understand that TPLO is the golden standard, but I would like to try a non-surgical approach first - the vet confirms that surgery is not urgent at this time. I found a NIH article earlier today about success with Stem Cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma which I am going to research as well. Huskies are active dogs, and prior to her injury we were logging around 40 miles a week, so I have a sinking feeling that we'll end up on an operating table, but hope springs eternal. Braces: www.aocpet.com/collections/custom-dog-braces/products/bilateral-custom-dog-knee-brace-ccl-acl-stifle-rear-leg-dog-brace NIH article: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5155010/ UA-cam Playlist of our progress: ua-cam.com/play/PLb0z-wTHbSFf1KfNaq3nJAV9Xwf_hEZ9y.html
Hi there, and good for you for doing your research and not rushing into things. CCL surgery is elective so you have time to try rest and medical management (conservative management). It gives you time to look for an experienced surgeon and ask the best and most important questions if you decide to do surgery at some point. I’ve never seen anyone in my Facebook group try PRP with lasting benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying if you want to. Best wishes with your dog!
Thanks for the video. My dog has a likely partial CCL tear and while my vet recommended TPLO surgery I have an appointment with My Pet’s Brace that I’m thinking about postponing, as after 6 weeks post-injury my dog’s knee seems to be stabilizing. Her muscles are strong and she pulls well and wants to jump and play, though I vigilantly keep her leash walked minimally. She only limps a little when she gets up for the first few steps but otherwise she seems fine, and I’m thinking perhaps to just let her heal naturally instead of adding a brace I may never use or could do more damage than good if it’s putting pressure on the muscles and restricting movement.
Hi Jonathan. It’s definitely a tough call. One thing to be aware of is sometimes after periods of rest, we think the dog is healed. And then we give them a little freedom and the limping starts again. Scar tissue is pretty wimpy. It takes a long time and rest to form it can break down very fast. it’s just something to keep in mind. Trust your vet’s advice. They have the most experience with these injuries.
@@RunAgainRover I totally understand that and plan to restrict her activity with short on-leash walks only for many months to come. Sadly, my vet seems like a surgery profiteer (he didn't do any x-rays or MRI either, just a cranial drawer test that had only minimal play) and I'll be taking his advice with that in consideration. I'd hoped to hear back from a dog physical therapist, as they seem to be the ones that recommend not getting a brace, at least in some of the many posts I've seen in conservative management Facebook groups.
Hi Rachel, I tried one from My Pet’s Brace. It’s not that the brace is bad in any way. It just didn’t work for my dog. If you’re considering a brace, IMO the ones made from a fiberglass cast are the best. That’s because creating a brace from an impression of your dog’s leg ensures a perfect fit. With measurements there’s margin for error. A glove-like fit is important because as dogs move and muscles contract and relax, the brace can shift. This repetitive micro movement can cause skin ulcerations that may progress to infections. Brands that make braces from fiberglass casts are OrthoPets, Hero Braces, and My Pet’s Brace. And if I had my choice, I’d want a veterinarian or someone who knows dog anatomy at the brace company to do the casting. 🙌👨⚕️🐶
Hi, thank you for this information. I just watched your other video saying that a well fit brace can work. I'm confused, so do you think braces work or not?
Hi there. Sorry for the confusion! I think stifle braces for CCL tears in dogs may be worth a try if the owner can be patient and diligent for 9-12 months, which is how long a brace can take to work, if it does at all. Data suggests that smaller dogs have better luck with braces, so that might be a reason I'd try one. Because I don't know your reason for considering a brace, I'll describe some reasons that a brace could be a great alternative to surgery. CCL surgery is elective and doesn't need to be rushed into. A pet parent might need some time to figure things out, especially if they have scheduling issues that might interfere with surgery or post-op caregiving, or if they're unsure about surgery or don't have the funds to pay for it. Some dogs have underlying medical conditions that make surgery risky, so a brace can help for that population. Some dogs have diseases of bone where surgery is risky or isn't an option, so a brace can be suitable for them too. But if I had a chance for a do-over with my 70+ pound muscular and active dog with a CCL tear, would I have chosen a stifle brace? I probably wouldn't. I'd put the money toward surgery and take the time to find a reputable, experienced veterinarian who has low complication rates, a well-trained and ample team of veterinary technicians, who insists on the highest quality implant systems, who uses planning software for every CCL surgery case and who's skilled at being able to make what he or she planned with the software come true in the OR.
Hi there @paulish22. Kudos to you for doing some research to find the most appropriate solution for your dog. After checking out some of my videos, I highly recommend that you Google search: RCVS Canine Cruciate Registry Annual Report. It’s the most comprehensive data set and has been contributed to by veterinarians and dog owners alike. It’s super easy to understand and is non-biased. Best wishes to you and your dog. 😊
Have you tried any conservative management treatments or therapies that are worth sharing with others? Drop a comment to help other dog owners. 😀
So far just trying to find a decent brace. She is a pittie mix that seems to be right in between a M and a L. We have a brace showing up today. Going to try some DMSO and limit activity.
@@paulish22 braces are a tough call, especially for a non-custom fitted brace, like the ones you can buy on Amazon. Whether they’re $30 or $300 doesn’t matter because they don’t control the backward slippage of the femur on the tibia. Even a custom-fitted brace’s ability to control that slippage is questionable. Are you part of my cruciate Facebook group? Here’s the link if you want to join. m.facebook.com/groups/RunAgainRover/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF
I can probably find the video of how those Neoprene braces don’t work.
Oh boy. We let him
walk too far. First mistake. We did so
many things "right" but his tendency to chase, one time gate left open and he was off, which led to a full tear. I hear ya. Gotta follow the vet's advice. It means so much to see your videos because we've been down that road. Our (even more) expensive brace is in the garage. Maybe if we'd really understood or saw this video for example our dog might have been able to avoid surgery. But the money spent avoiding TPLO could have been spent on the surgery. It's not as scary as it sounds. He might have made it, but he is HIGH energy and born to hunt! Thank you. I get everything you're saying. 🙏
Thank you, Elissa! What you wrote is a common thread among lots of pet owners.
We are a month into this journey with one of our Siberian Huskies. After the drawer test, the vet believes it is probably only a partial tear on both legs; our 7 y.o. girl is absolutely willing to put weight on both of them. We've been pretty diligent with CM for the last month, and the Gabapentin has helped. She is also on Rimadyl, which I am hoping to replace with CBDs as soon as possible (they cannot be taken together). She was 64 lb. (ideal is 52-55) but with a low-calorie diet she's losing between .5 - 1lb a week, and we'll get her down there as soon as we safely can. We got the custom bilateral Animal Ortho Care knee braces, which we've had for 6 days now. We're seeing a vet certified in rehabilitation and will start the water treadmill and cold laser next week. I understand that TPLO is the golden standard, but I would like to try a non-surgical approach first - the vet confirms that surgery is not urgent at this time. I found a NIH article earlier today about success with Stem Cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma which I am going to research as well. Huskies are active dogs, and prior to her injury we were logging around 40 miles a week, so I have a sinking feeling that we'll end up on an operating table, but hope springs eternal.
Braces: www.aocpet.com/collections/custom-dog-braces/products/bilateral-custom-dog-knee-brace-ccl-acl-stifle-rear-leg-dog-brace
NIH article: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5155010/
UA-cam Playlist of our progress: ua-cam.com/play/PLb0z-wTHbSFf1KfNaq3nJAV9Xwf_hEZ9y.html
Hi there, and good for you for doing your research and not rushing into things. CCL surgery is elective so you have time to try rest and medical management (conservative management). It gives you time to look for an experienced surgeon and ask the best and most important questions if you decide to do surgery at some point. I’ve never seen anyone in my Facebook group try PRP with lasting benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying if you want to. Best wishes with your dog!
Thanks for the video. My dog has a likely partial CCL tear and while my vet recommended TPLO surgery I have an appointment with My Pet’s Brace that I’m thinking about postponing, as after 6 weeks post-injury my dog’s knee seems to be stabilizing. Her muscles are strong and she pulls well and wants to jump and play, though I vigilantly keep her leash walked minimally. She only limps a little when she gets up for the first few steps but otherwise she seems fine, and I’m thinking perhaps to just let her heal naturally instead of adding a brace I may never use or could do more damage than good if it’s putting pressure on the muscles and restricting movement.
Hi Jonathan. It’s definitely a tough call. One thing to be aware of is sometimes after periods of rest, we think the dog is healed. And then we give them a little freedom and the limping starts again. Scar tissue is pretty wimpy. It takes a long time and rest to form it can break down very fast. it’s just something to keep in mind. Trust your vet’s advice. They have the most experience with these injuries.
@@RunAgainRover I totally understand that and plan to restrict her activity with short on-leash walks only for many months to come. Sadly, my vet seems like a surgery profiteer (he didn't do any x-rays or MRI either, just a cranial drawer test that had only minimal play) and I'll be taking his advice with that in consideration. I'd hoped to hear back from a dog physical therapist, as they seem to be the ones that recommend not getting a brace, at least in some of the many posts I've seen in conservative management Facebook groups.
Thanks for the video
Can I ask what brace u tried?
Hi Rachel, I tried one from My Pet’s Brace. It’s not that the brace is bad in any way. It just didn’t work for my dog. If you’re considering a brace, IMO the ones made from a fiberglass cast are the best. That’s because creating a brace from an impression of your dog’s leg ensures a perfect fit. With measurements there’s margin for error. A glove-like fit is important because as dogs move and muscles contract and relax, the brace can shift. This repetitive micro movement can cause skin ulcerations that may progress to infections. Brands that make braces from fiberglass casts are OrthoPets, Hero Braces, and My Pet’s Brace. And if I had my choice, I’d want a veterinarian or someone who knows dog anatomy at the brace company to do the casting. 🙌👨⚕️🐶
Hi, thank you for this information. I just watched your other video saying that a well fit brace can work. I'm confused, so do you think braces work or not?
Hi there. Sorry for the confusion! I think stifle braces for CCL tears in dogs may be worth a try if the owner can be patient and diligent for 9-12 months, which is how long a brace can take to work, if it does at all. Data suggests that smaller dogs have better luck with braces, so that might be a reason I'd try one. Because I don't know your reason for considering a brace, I'll describe some reasons that a brace could be a great alternative to surgery. CCL surgery is elective and doesn't need to be rushed into. A pet parent might need some time to figure things out, especially if they have scheduling issues that might interfere with surgery or post-op caregiving, or if they're unsure about surgery or don't have the funds to pay for it. Some dogs have underlying medical conditions that make surgery risky, so a brace can help for that population. Some dogs have diseases of bone where surgery is risky or isn't an option, so a brace can be suitable for them too. But if I had a chance for a do-over with my 70+ pound muscular and active dog with a CCL tear, would I have chosen a stifle brace? I probably wouldn't. I'd put the money toward surgery and take the time to find a reputable, experienced veterinarian who has low complication rates, a well-trained and ample team of veterinary technicians, who insists on the highest quality implant systems, who uses planning software for every CCL surgery case and who's skilled at being able to make what he or she planned with the software come true in the OR.
I am trying to figure out my options now for my 3 year old.
Hi there @paulish22. Kudos to you for doing some research to find the most appropriate solution for your dog. After checking out some of my videos, I highly recommend that you Google search: RCVS Canine Cruciate Registry Annual Report. It’s the most comprehensive data set and has been contributed to by veterinarians and dog owners alike. It’s super easy to understand and is non-biased. Best wishes to you and your dog. 😊