ACL treatment without surgery?

Hi Everyone,

Here I am with my woes about Milly and her possible torn acl. I have not been able to take her to the vet for x-rays yet because my father was in the hospital and then when he finally got out, I was involved in a car accident. In addition to other issues, I don't have a car at the moment:( So I did not get a firm diagnosis yet but this past weekend I met a vet that was visiting someone in the neighbourhood. She said to get the firm diagnosis Milly would need to be sedated however in her opinion, she thinks it is a torn or partially torn ligament. Milly doesn't seem to be in pain but she definitely favours her hind leg.

Continuing our conversation, I mentioned in my research that many vets don't recommend surgery for dogs that are less than 30 lbs (Milly is 24 lbs and 5 yrs old). She agreed that in smaller breeds, restricted activity, supplements and the dog should be fine in a few months without medically treatment. Has anyone chosen not to have the surgery for their fur babies? What has been your experience? I don't want Milly to be in pain and I certainly don't want any long terms issues with this leg not getting immediate treatment but life just sometimes gets in the way unexpectedly.

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Permalink Reply by Lucy & Ricky (Wendy/Jack ) on September 13, 2012 at 9:27pm

@Sylvia and Timmy- I agree with all you wrote re. ACL injury. My 2 yo male recently, after waffling re surgery on our part and even our vets!, had TTA surgery to repair a torn ACL.

We are always with our Corgis, but maybe not watching every minute that they're running, frapping and wrestling. So maybe he had a bad footing, who knows? What I do know is that he was a rescue. Purebredi, but probably a "backyard" breeding at best. So he's a bit high in the leg and short on stifle. Lucy, our 6 yo, is half his size, well-angulated, lots of stifle and seems so grounded––less likely to have this type of injury. (knock wood!) I'm so superstitious. She'll have an ACL injury tonight, at this rate, haha.

All this is purely empirical––just my thoughts after 40 yrs of watching my Corgis. Ricky-Rafa is our first Corgi needing ACL repair and hopefully the last. My only other Corgi requiring back surgery was also high in the leg and maybe lacking stifle. Who knows? I appreciate your post.

Hope you keep posting and all my good wishes!

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Permalink Reply by Dana C on September 15, 2012 at 9:08pm

I have been giving Milly anti inflammatory meds at nighttime and during the day she seems just fine as she wanders the house but in the evening is when she really starts favouring her leg even though she put pressure on it and walked on it fine during the day. Is this normal?

I will take her to the other vet next week for a second opinion and hopefully some type of diagnosis so that I know what I am dealing with. If surgery is required, it will have to wait a couple of months due to other issues but all the positive feedback on the surgery has convinced me that that is the way to go. It was all the information out there that started to make me doubt things. I guess the key is to get a firm diagnosis.