Just got Ricky-Rafa home after having TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) surgery yesterday to repair a torn ACL. I've owned Corgis for 40 yrs and this is a first for me. Seems ACL injuries are becoming common in Corgis. Not sure if it's because of the increased popularity and hence number of Corgis, or if it's being diagnosed more.

Back in the day we worried about our Corgis backs. One of my first Corgis, Rookie, needed a thoracic laminectomy. Don't know if it's just coincidence, but both Rookie and Ricky-Rafa were a bit higher in the leg than my other Corgis.

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It probably has a lot to do with conformation as well as ability to diagnose the injury. I've had dogs for about 20 years now and have had only 2 dogs need CCL surgeries (one dog was  both legs). When my 2nd dog was diagnosed the TPLO had just come out as a method for repair. I think probably prior to the TPLO, TTA repair many vets probably just did the wait and see approach since the extracapsular repair is so hit and miss as to whether it will work and owners didn't tend to spend as much on their animals as they do now. Dogs went from being a backyard pet to sleeping in bed with us and we now spend thousands on our dogs and cats each year. I do think these surgeries are on the rise but it seems this is the case for every breed and not just corgis. Also as a note, neither of my past dogs was purebred and one was a big huge mutt the other a little cocker mix.

yup, my high in the leg theory has been totally shot down.  ;)

it's so sad to see these young, seemingly fit dogs breaking down.

Ricky-Rafa has turned into a very expensive rescue, but worth every penny, with or w/o papers.
He's grown into the sweetest Romeo boy. Who'd a thunk it?

Awwwww, just so happy he turned out to be such a great guy...thanks to his owner who didn't give up:)

You're so kind, Jane. Thanks. I've missed you!  A LOT.

XOXO wendy

I also think it has a lot to do with lifestyle.  When I was a kid, honestly, our dogs were maybe taken for a walk and hung out in the house.  Now so many people do agility, get frisbees and chuck-its and other toys that encourage high-speed flat-out running.  Also I think I saw something that neutered dogs are more inclined to get injured due to drops in hormones, and of course almost all pet dogs are now spayed or neutered;  all the dogs I had as a kid were intact.  

My parents' dog needed one of hers done but she slipped badly on ice, and then later slipped badly on the same leg scrambling over a log in the water.  


My own have flipped over running after things, had their back ends skid out running on tile, and all manner of things and so far we've been lucky.  I do attribute a lot of it to just that (luck) but also we are in a very hilly neighborhood (we actually live on a foothill of a mountain) and mine get so much hill work that you can see bulging muscles in their back ends, and I do think that offers some level of protection.


The other thing is, thanks to the internet you hear about things more.  Used to be you only heard about it if it was a dog belonging to a friend or neighbor.

Beth: I think that is a good point. I think about the early pioneers; they never new about disasters, murders or politics on the east coast, much less in far away countries. None of us are likely to know about each other if it weren't for the web. But it sure seems like this has been the month for torn CLs. Snickers has her surgery scheduled for the 28th. She was chasing a ball, as she often does. We can only assumed she twisted wrong, because she didn't yelp or even slow down on the return.

Oh my friend, wishing you and Snickers a smooth sail through surgery. RR is doing so much better. Hope I didn't overload you with stuff. Maybe it was my way of logging his journey in case he needs a repair down the road on his right leg.

@Snickmom

From now on all my ACL messages will be sent to your email. I spent so long discussing differing opinions and impacts of the surgery and somehow it got lost. this happens to me a lot on mycorgi. I really don't navigate the site well. Bottom line, RR's doing well despite his chronic crying and whining. I don't believe he's in pain. He's walking way better than before the surgery and actually wants to gallop and jump, if I'd let him. Scary. I think he's just so bored and hates to be confined to an x-pen or lead.

You made some great points and raised issues that I never considered. As a kid, like you, my dogs were not neutered, nor did they walk except on leashes.

I have no idea when or how Ricky-Rafa tore his ACL. He and Lucy rough house all day, inside and out. Lucy is a natural born herder and RR loves to be herded. They frap and wrestle day in and out.

I am just hoping for a good and speedy recovery and can only hope that after following the post-op instructions to the T that he doesn't re-injure the leg, or need a repair on his other knee.

Thanks for your comments. He's doing much better tonight.

Sorry to hear about Ricky Rafa, hope his recovery goes smoothly. 

Thanks so much. He's doing quite well. But, he's so bored. All he does is whine. He has a pain patch and pain meds but he just cries. He wants to be out running. He's already putting weight on both paws, and when I am walking him on the lead and he hears Jack pull up, he's ready to do a dash. My dgt. Lindsay (my last dgt living in CA. the other 2 are in school in NY) came to visit him today. It was the first time I saw his nub wiggle like crazy and if I wasn't next to him, he would have tried to jump out of his x-pen to greet her.

I don't have a clue but hope that poor Ricky feels better soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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