CCL Tears in canines

What Is A CCL Tear?

Were you just told by your vet that your dog has a CCL tear or do you suspect your dog might have one? It happens to be one of the most common orthopedic injuries 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 through the leg whether in standing or during 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, the stability of the knee becomes compromised.

What Breeds Are Most Affected?

Any dog, of any breed, can be affected, but some types of dogs are more likely to experience 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, it is likely that degeneration is present in both knees.