Adk_dib said:
she tore her cruciate ligament, torn meniscus. Dr. Bookbinder in central new york did the operation. he has a good reputation. it cost $1745.
A torn meniscus commonly goes hand-in-hand (or should that be paw-in-paw) with a CCL tear. Without a functional CCL, the joint isn't stable, meaning the femur grates across the tibia, thus "catching" and tearing the meniscus. Osteoarthritis is commonly results because the meniscal pad is damaged, the joint doesn't have the cushioning it needs. You can actually see the instability in the dog's gait. As the dog places weight onto the injured leg, the femur presses down on the tib/fib. Without the CCL to hold the joint stable, the femur slides forward and downard along the tibial plateau angle. This pushes the tibia sideways toward the outside, resulting in a sort of a twist, or bowed leg.
Which procedure did she have?
1745 is either really expensive for the "monofilament" (aka suture) type of repair, or really cheap for an osteotomy method (TTA, TPLO, FHT, cranial wedge).
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With any of these options, be aware that rehab can take as long as 12 months. Significant muscle atrophy can occur while the dog is inactive. Your vet is extremely optimistic if they think your dog will be hiking mountains come spring.
Another statistic to keep in mind is that almost 50% of dogs who tear one cranial cruciate ligament, will tear the other within 12 months. No one knows why - whether it's the strain on the good leg as the dog favors the injured/surgical leg, if it's something to do with conformation (i.e. steepness of tibial plateau angle), or if the ligament tissue is deteriorating.
In addition, as I understand it, very few surgical dogs regain 100% of their presurgical joint stability.
Because of these things, you may want to reconsider what you ask of her athletically.
I can't urge you enough to join Orthodogs. They've got great information on rehab - ROM exercises, stretching, knee braces, diet, nutritional supplements, and so forth. Not many of the dogs over there are hiker-dogs, but quite a few are competitive athletes - even after surgery.
Another good site:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_ruptured_anterior_cruciate_lig.html
I wish only the best for you and your dog. The past 10 months with "Dugan 3.75 legs" have been challenging.