What Is A CCL Tear?
Did your vet just tell you that your dog has a CCL tear, or do you suspect your dog might have one? At Alpha Animal Rehab & Fitness in West Caldwell, we frequently treat this common orthopedic injury in dogs. So you may be wondering, what even is the CCL, and how did this happen to my dog?
The Cranial Cruciate Ligament, or CCL, is very similar to the ACL in a human. The CCL lends stability to a dog’s knee joint. Without an intact CCL, the tibia or lower leg will jut forward when the dog is weight-bearing on the leg, whether standing or walking.
Unlike humans, who generally tear their ACL in a traumatic event, CCL tears typically occur progressively over a long period of time. A CCL tear is often characterized by a slow deterioration of the ligament, and that is why you will hear a CCL tear also referred to as Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease. This is one reason why CCL tears can be seen in adult or senior dogs. Once this ligament is partially or fully torn, knee stability is compromised.
What Breeds Are Most Affected?
Any dog, of any breed, can be affected, but certain breeds are more likely to develop CCL disease. In general, a female, spayed, large-breed dog is one of the most likely candidates. As you can imagine, with a degenerative disease, if one knee is affected, degeneration is likely present in both knees.
Classic Signs of a CCL Tear
Your dog may often sit in what is often described as a “sloppy sit”. In rehab terms, you will see an exaggerated knee and ankle extension, in contrast with a dog who sits “squarely”. Other signs you may notice include:
- Lame or intermittently lame on their affected back leg
- Muscle wasting on the hind limbs
- Decreased hind limb or knee flexibility
- Pain and swelling
- Warmth around the knee joint
- Shifting weight to the opposite leg
These are just a few of the clues that can lead to a diagnosis of a full or partial CCL tear. Research shows that approximately half of the dogs with a CCL tear in one knee will rupture both CCLs at some point, whether or not the first knee is surgically repaired.
Treatment Approaches
Surgical
Let’s say you decide to go with the recommendation from your vet for a TPLO surgery to help repair the cranial cruciate ligament. You think that if surgery is successful, it should fix everything. Generally speaking, this is true. However, your dog may already have started developing compensations for their injured CCL. Your dog will have better success after surgery if you begin to address some of these compensations now. In the field of human physical therapy, this is called “pre-hab”. Simply put, it’s the implementation of canine rehab before surgery to improve postoperative outcomes.
Non-Surgical
On the other hand, your vet may say your dog has only a partial tear, and it’s up to you whether to go forward with surgery or try a conservative approach first. The good news is that conservative management of a CCL tear can be successful with the right plan of care, specifically designed for your pup!
How Alpha Animal Rehab & Fitness Can Help
Let’s not forget, as mentioned above, that half the dogs who rupture one CCL will go on to rupture the CCL in their other leg at some point. This should perhaps be the most compelling evidence of the need for proper (not cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all) rehabilitation for your dog, regardless of the approach, surgical or conservative.
Serving West Caldwell and the surrounding New Jersey communities, Alpha Animal Rehab & Fitness specializes in personalized CCL rehabilitation programs. No matter how you go about it, having someone who can recognize and address your dog’s compensations and tailor a program just to their needs will help prevent and treat future issues.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Alpha Animal Rehab & Fitness at (908) 454-2273.