Cruciate Ligament Repair
It’s extremely common for dogs—especially older and overweight dogs—to rupture their cranial cruciate ligaments (CCL). This ligament is found in the knee and its human equivalent is the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL.
When a dog ruptures this ligament, their knee joint becomes unstable and they will limp on the affected limb. Because CCL tears cause such significant mobility issues for pets, it’s important to get these injuries treated as quickly as possible.
At Highview Animal Clinic, we offer Extracapsular Lateral Suture Repair for most CCL injuries in smaller dogs. For larger dogs, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery may be preferable, and our veterinarians can refer these dogs to another surgeon if necessary.
Extracapsular (Lateral Suture) Repair
Extracapsular, or lateral suture, refers to a repair that is performed alongside the knee joint. After the knee joint has been inspected and damaged tissue cleaned up, a strong suture is placed on the outside of the joint that runs in the same direction as the original CCL. This suture provides stability in a very similar way to the CCL before it was torn. A period of restricted activity is required after this surgery. To schedule a consultation for CCL repair with one of our veterinarians, call us at 403-652-1300.