Dog with knee problems

[tucker0104]

I have been bummed out for the last couple of weeks. I have hiked a lot of miles with my dog and we have loved every minute. He had been limping on one of his back legs. I took him to the vet and she said it is a possible torn ACL, she did Xrays and got good news that it was just a knee injury and should heal. So, now, he is on severe rest so that he can be better by the time it cools off so we can get started hiking again. Anyone out there have a dog with a similar story?

[HeartFire]

not exactly the same story, but my 8 yr old border collie was having problems with a back knee, limping not wanting to run, jump etc, The vet gave him a shot of Adequan http://www.adequancanine.us/about/en/works.shtml he gets a shot every 3 or 4 months, this made a real difference in his life, he can run up and down the stairs, jump in and out of the car and act like a puppy again. The vet said it was probably from an injury that occurred years earlier. He was at the vets last night for regular shots, and since he is doing so well right now, the vet suggested we skip the Adequan during the summer months if he seems OK. He said in a few years as he gets older, he may need it year round, but for now to just go by symptoms. He was also a little overweight, so over the past year (that this has all been going on) he has lost 7 lbs. He has 2 or 3 more lbs to loose.

So the moral of the story is, your dog may heal up just fine now, but this may cause some arthritis later on.

[Ginger Snap]

I work part time at a vet clinic, we see a lot of active dogs that have fully or partially torn or strained ACL's . Full tears get repaired, partial tears are often a wait and see ( usually go on to fully tear with surgery following.) recovery is often great with surgery. There are a variety of techniques to repair depending on the dog, and most return to full function. Dogs that rupture one acl are more prone to rupture the other. Dogs with meniscus tears in addition to a ruptured acl seem to be more painful on initial presentation. But , there are other problems beside an acl tear or strain that can cause knee issues ( luxating patellas etc) .

If your dog is a serious athletic partner for you, you might consider a referral to your local veterinary orthopedic specialist. It may be money well spent in order to better help plan for your k9 hiking buddy 's care!

[The Cleaner]

Why don't you ask your dog how he feels about walking 12-15 miles a day.....wasn't there another thread about this earlier....

[kayak karl]

Why don't you ask your dog how he feels about walking 12-15 miles a day.....wasn't there another thread about this earlier....

and what was your dog's reply?

[Studlintsean]

I have a 7 year old dog that has done a few backpacking trips with me over the years (nothing more than 20-30 miles). This past winter he tore his cruciate ligament and had to have it surgically repaired. While he seems to be doing much better, im going to nurse it and hope he can come on the Thanksgiving trip again this year (10 Months healing). Long story short is, I wouldnt risk getting out in the woods with your dog with a bad knee until you are sure it is healed or you may be carrying some extra weight.

[LynnMT]

My German shepherd, Luc, has blown bother of his ACL's. Shepherds are prone to this injury. He has had 2 TPLO surgeries. They are pricey, but well worth it. He is now 12 years old and did a 14 mile hike last weekend.

[Studlintsean]

LynnMT-As stated above, my dog had surgery in February so its been 5 months and he is doing much better but hasnt started hiking again yet. I did his first 4 mile run with him on Saturday and he did not seem to be sore at all afterwards. I plan on doing this a couple times a week over the next few months but how long did you wait before you started hiking with your dog again? I'd like to take him on a short trip this summer if possible. I know it depends on the dog and if there is any doiubt I dont think he is ready he wont be coming but I just wanted to get some advice from somone who has been through it.

Thanks.

[Wise Old Owl]

Why don't you ask your dog how he feels about walking 12-15 miles a day.....wasn't there another thread about this earlier....

8.jpgReading Toss isn't your strong suit....can we leash those fingers?

[lemon b]

What kind of elevation ? How many miles? How much does the dog weight ? Age ? A picture of them would help.