That's the type of information I was seeking when going through this too.

May I ask what supplements your baby was on? My dog is also small (around 25lbs)

Thanks for sharing and that is great news about your Boxer. A agree that a skilled surgeon can make all the difference.

Please give all the tips possible 😭

@@sn5255 First thing is to get your dog to a vet to get diagnosed. That is the most important thing to do. If the vet diagnoses your dog with ACL, then follow this video, don't let your dog run or jump, and only take him/her on short, slow walks just to relieve themselves. This takes time and you cannot rush anything. I still do not allow my dog to run and jump even though she looks like she is fully healed, but we do go on much longer walks now. Hope this helps.

@@Bossmanrocks That is great! I would like to ask you how did you keep your dog entertained? Are sniff matts okay? My dog is a small breed and is used to move around the house, jump on furniture, and terrorize the neighbors. I moved my bed and furniture to the floor, restricting her to one room, and a smaller one when I have to leave the room. Do you think it is enough restriction? No walks except 5-7 min just so she releases herself. Also, what about car rides? How do we keep them restrained in the car? I am sorry for the many questions, but I would appreciate any help I can get.

@@sn5255 If she is small, I would use a pet carrier in the car to keep her confined to one space, so she doesn't bounce around. I don't know about sniff mats, so I can't help you there. Seems like you are doing as much as you can. I have a bigger dog who was never allowed to jump on furniture in the first place, so she always knows to go to her bed. She is not confined but is allowed to walk around the first floor of the house. No stairs.

​@@Bossmanrocks please did you give him any medicament or massage or anything else ?

Seems like the scar tissue envelopes around the joint and ostensibly causes the lameness to subside but if the dog gets excited and puts weight on the injured knee it makes the joint worse.

what did you do to help your dog recover?

gary oneill how did you know your dog had a partial tear? Did you get confirmation from a vet? MRI?

Very sorry to hear that. I'm glad you did not give in to the pressure and make a decision on the spot. Good luck to you and your girl.

I hope the surgery went well and your dog is on her way to full recovery. Thank you for sharing your experience.

I just did the TPLO yesterday too. She is only 7 so expensive but I think necessary.

I'm so happy to hear this. My baby is 8 and about the same weight. She is a lab. I'm deathly worried about surgery. Her consult isn't until July 9th. This gives me hope.

I admire you that you are brave and that you are going to research this. I agree with you that you can help your beautiful Border to heal. It will take time and it will not be without some expense, but you will accomplish your goal. Doggy prayer, for YOU! Please post how he is doing, thanks.

@@larnakeane3815 It's been 3 weeks of absolute NO jumping or running. We are lucky enough to be able to take him to a swimming pool every day for him to swim for about 15 minutes, we've recently bumped the swim time up to 30 minutes. He's also been on joint supplements. Thus far, his lameness has decreased dramatically. He no longer walks with a limp, but he continues to lift his leg up slightly when standing up. Thank you for the encouragement!

@@joshuabell7422 Hurrah. So happy to hear.

This breaks my heart! Please be strong! There's so much on this subject and surgery is NOT the only way. We have a number of videos on this, and tomorrow we're publishing a big update video. I know a lot of the information we have will be helpful to you and your dog. PLEASE don't let this break you down. Your dog needs you to be strong. YOU CAN DO THIS!

The Vet told me that too. Only Surgery will fix it. $6000! Bullshit, I nursed my dog back to health. It took a year and she is 100% Rest, no jumping (even to the couch), on leash for a year. Massage twice a day. Initially ice (especially during the first few days) warmth (make sure it's moist heat. usually a damp towel and then a heat pack over it.) Basically what you would do for a sprain in a Human. They will heal.

May I ask how your baby is doing?

Curious if you ever had the surgery?

How is she doing now?

@@mrs.i.one12 she's doing well. She does have arthritis in that leg now. It bothers her more as winter sets in. She has a prescription for Rimadyl from the vet, but I have been trying green lipped muscle powder in her food for the inflammation. It really seems to be making a big difference. She will be 11 years old on Dec.6th.

Hope your pooch is getting along better now :)

Hii is he ok now?

@@rishub_1 Hey! Thanks for asking and following up. Unfortunately, going up 3 steps, he completely tore his other leg's crucial ligament. It is so disappointing because we were doing everything possible to preserve and help the originally injured knee (left knee which is just a partial tear) and now the right one is completely torn...completely devastating, he needs surgery for the right knee. The left one has held up and is doing a lot better.

@@amandaros3 soo sorry for your pooch hope he will get well soon. 4 days ago my labrador Tony had an accident and now his ligaments are torn. I don't even know if it's partially or completely but I am definitely not able to adopt a surgery my vet told me that in that case try to give him conservative support so now my only option is to stick with that and pray

@@rishub_1 how's your hound doin now if I may ask? Mine is goin on a month now. Showing small improvements but I still worry for how much he favors the other leg while turning around and going to the bathroom.

my dog tore hers badly 4 years ago and after researching it over 50 hours I decided on conservative approach and she finally put her foot to the ground for first time after 2 months. I was broken hearted and felt guilty but slowly she began to touch more and more and by 6 months she was walking almost normal, I didnt let her off the leash until 9 months and her leg is 100% now... BUT last sunday she blew the other leg racing around, shes 9 now... this one is bad but not as bad, she put her foot to ground after one day and now the 4th day she will use it gingerly ... i am using fish oil, hemp oil, glucosamine, turmeric, arnica, dgp, and a couple other things as well as icing it 3x a day.... its a nightmare bc I feel so bad for her but loving your dog and showing her/him you are there at all possible times helps a ton too. I dont let her run or jump on anything, she sleeps on my bed and hoist her up. I hope your dog and everyone's dog never has to go thru this. all my best, gregg!

Thanks for your comment.

Hi. Could you elaborate on what the bicom bioresenace is and how it helped? It is similar to something like prolotherapy

Yeah, we spent $500 for xrays, and we only got a diagnosis that it was a POSSIBLE ligament injury. But, they weren't specific. So, we need to do a $800+ MRI to know exactly. Well, I think I will do what SteveS has done and do conversative management. That's my approach now.

My Mabel (7yo) just had TPLO yesterday. She’s in severe pain. It’s hard to watch her suffer but I’m hoping this improves quality of life in her later years. I pray she never tears the other one but I know it’s a possibility.

Same. Happy to find this video. Gives me hope!

Same here.

Hopefully as you say it's not as bad as my dog's was and recovery will be a little speedier. Best to you and your lab.

Do you give fish oil? When my mastiff showed signs of arthritis two years ago I started her on it and it worked like a charm. 2000 mg per day. She does have a tear now, but I'm going to try to treat it with a brace instead of surgery. Dogs are troopers compared to their wimpy human counterparts.

Having similar problems with my dog. She's 9 and hurt her rear right leg at the kennel in excitement. It was on yhe day we were picking her up. She's missing her usual activities like going to the park and so on. Recently I've taken her in the front at times i know dogs won't be out and about. She's easily excitable and I'm worried somethinv will happen if she sees another dog. At the moment we're wondering whether or not to go through with the surgery. In the meantime I'm going to make sure she's in one room when I'm out.

How is ur pooch doing now ? 2yrs later

I'm in the same boat right now

You're welcome! When I was going through this with my dog I was always looking for a video that showed a realistic portrayal of how challenging this injury can be along with the ups and downs during recovery. Good luck!

Any updates?

Steve , just finished your video and I would feel blessed to see the same improvements in our Cozmo .The artritis dysplasia onset started 6 months ago ,the prescribed anti inflames weren' helping but started her on CDB oil and in less than 2 weeks ,major improvements and in 45 days we were almost back to our aging falling apart selves , then this happened but I have faith we 'll over come this as well . Surgery will be the last option and Im going to follow your lead on this .And more or less have been so far m She's wanting to stay outside in the yard or on the porch a lot more than coming inside , thru the cold I think dogs know something most of us 2 leggers dont ,as I have been worried about jer spending so much ti,me outside in the cold ,given I live in Las Vegas cold isn't C O L D I think she knows ,right now that limiting here movements is whats best and needed , plus going top the bathroom is just a around the corner ,I keep her covered and even a oil type radiator heater I place where ever she choose s to lay . Ive built two wheel chair mobility things for dogs , if or when we get to that stage , evren then it will be a gamble whether she'll use it to begin with but like my last late great dog , what my dog wont use I donate to others . Ive got two wheel chairs almost done and will give one away .... but right now at this point I'll do more damage to her moving her her ,up and down trying to fit her to the chair than any gains . I just want to be prepared for the worst scenario Right now getting her weight down and keeping her inactive and happy will be the hurdles , Dogs are the most resilient of Gods creatures and a lot smarter than any people I personally know

@@eddgong I pray your sweet Cozmo recovers completely really fast! Much love ♥️

@@lakithamaratunga7423 She's doing great for an old gal , now if I could stop these idiots with giant firecrackers going off at all hours of the night . to stop...... ,it's freaking her the hell out , she comes to me and I get on the floor and cover her with my body and hold her ears i used foam ear plugs but she shakes them off after a few minutes . Turn the TV on 10 and then I run that thru a Bass rig ...payback to the neighbors with boom boom stereos , some bluegrass coming out an Ampeg SVT, 350 tube watts and 8, 10's and a 15 ....take that a**wipes .......dont make me drag out the PA

@@eddgong I'm really glad to hear that Cozmo is doing well! :D And about the situation you are currently facing...sigh it is so sad to know that such selfish people exist!! Have you tried telling them to lower it down or just limit the hours to some earlier time? I am pretty sure you must have... Hope they stop with all the booming noise soon. Sending love to Cosmo ❤️

My dog has ccl tears in both hind legs and floating bones spurs. And severe arthritis she is right I can't afford surgery at 5800.00 can they heal in this way also. He said it's the worse he's seen.....

I'm sorry to hear about your dogs injury. I realize your post was 7 months ago , so I at least I hope things are going well for you and your dog. My dog is younger but had an injury 6 years ago , possibly just over exerting, he didn't stand up for most of the next day, but then got back to normal the next day. Even then I was hesitant to have him sedated for X-rays. I always thought it was a back injury, he never once limped or showed signs it was his leg. Recently he started limping and after a month I decided to get X-rays, they say it's a CCL injury, so now I'm in this new world of concerned pet owners and CCL injuries, it's a big world. That was a lot but was curious how things are going and wanted to share , green lipped muscle oil extract. If you hadn't heard that yet, I sure you have but it could be helpful. Hope your doing well .

At any point did your dog’s knee begin making a popping sound while stepping?

Yes my 7 year old is making popping noise when she walks...

Same here. My 12 year old whippet just suffered cruciate snap. No surgery allowed as she’s on heart tabs and too elderly. I am considering a brace for her for the future. This has been a real blow to me - my anxiety levels way up there. She, too, is the love of my life.

@@sallynolan5928 hey Sally, sorry to hear about you old pal, it's heartbreaking but we have to remember the great life we have with them and they have with us, old age can b a terrible thing for most creatures, I am now giving "houdini" cbd oil Ince a day also,luckily he seems to b in no pain as I have been all over that leg,I maggage it and use an infrared light and just got a blow up bed aftern5 weeks on d floor..lol.. Will stay with him as much as I possibly can for as long as it takes. Hope your pal picks up and maybe gets another lease of life!

Sorry to hear your have to go through this... as I am too currently. Just curious how much exercise are you allowing/doing for your pup?

He did it all wrong

Did your dog recover without surgery?

@@davidduonghau5332 Full recovery, she does not limp or favor either leg. It took a while to heal.

@@kathyverderame3641 amazing. Thanks for the response and hope

Having both legs injured looks like a tough road ahead. You seemed dedicated to making it work so I wish you the best and look forward to your follow-up videos.

How did it go?

@@algae_rhythms it worked out great. Brody passed away from other issues about 4yrs after he hurt his knees. but the knees healed and he was able to walk & run. he was never 100% but certainly worth the effort. check our channel we got a 5 part series on his progress.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope the surgery and recovery went well.

@@stevestrike6867 the TPLO was a game changer. My dog is 100%! Get pet insurance folks!

@@tmcdermottg thank you for sharing. I’m considering surgery also bc we’ve already spent about 2 months trying conservative treatment with not much luck. He has been limping for about 7 months now, but his previous vet misdiagnosed his tear with arthritis. I’m afraid if we don’t take care of it sooner rather than later his other CCL will tear too since he’s been favoring that leg. Glad to know the surgery went well for you guys. Im wanting to do the Tightrope procedure with him. 🤞

Hi...our Sophie ended up experiencing ACL tears in both back legs within two months of each other. We did NOT opt for surgery. We had custom made braces for her. She wore them whenever we went outside and did so well for her that we did not do surgery. We went to My Pets Brace in Morgantown PA and they were wonderful. If that's not convenient, I am guessing there are other providers in the country. Sophie was 12 at the time and this worked great for her. Hope this helps.

How is Bugsy doing now?

It's definitely challenging to restrict the dog's activity to allow healing. Whether you decide on a surgical or non-surgical approach best of luck to you and your dog.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g9mnaK2esJ_Pnok.html

Expected Recovery Time: - 4-6 months STRICT REST FOR 8 WEEKS MINIMUM *After 8 weeks, if improvement is evident - short walks and SWIMMING will help with recovery NO: RUNNING/JOGGING JUMPING WALKING UP OR DOWN STAIRS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE (towel) PEEING/POOPING WITHOUT LEASH Medication after 3-5 days Daily: - Fish oil for joint and tissue healing - Less food - because less activity will lead to weight gain Scar tissue must form inside and outside of knee to stabilize Exercise: !!!SWIMMING!!! *Ruffwear K-9 Float Coat - flotation vest for swimming* *SNIFF & STROLL* DIET & SUPPLEMENTS: ALL MEAT *NO GRAINS* GLUCOSAMINE (1000 MG) CHONDROITIN (800 MG)

@@joshuabell7422 what is the downside of having surgery? I don't own a dog. Just curious.

@@joshuabell7422 c.f. v

My cattle dog/cattahoula did the same thing

Hello, I beg you for an update

Good luck!

Sorry about your golden and I hope he gets back on all fours soon!

Hi, my cocker spaniel has been dealing with an CCL/ACL issue this year. He is 10 years old like Steve's dog, so he is also an older dog. One of the reasons I decided not to go with the surgery was his age and the recovery time and possible injury to his other leg's CCL (this is like a little over 40% chance of occurrence). One surgery would be a lot for him to go through and pretty good chance to need it twice. I don't think having him go through that much time with surgeries and recovery time was worth it at his age. Worth it to the doggie surgeon but not to my dog who really isn't going to run, jump, or hunt anymore now even with the surgery. Now your lab has a lot of active years left, if I had the same age with my dog I think that might change my mind and have the surgery done. You might want to reconsider, it is possible he heals on his own then again without the surgery he might reinjure himself over and over again. I have resigned to limiting my older dog's activity permanently due to his injury. Not sure if Steve expects a full recovery but I don't even with the surgery and my dog doesn't seem to be as badly injured. Oh Steve, I had setbacks too. When I went in for my annual checkup the vet said he had a CCL issue. The staff was more interested in checking me out in the computer than getting the Vet out to explain her diagnosis to me. Never said we needed to do an x-ray or anything. When I finally got their staff to get the Vet to talk to me, she prescribed some pain meds and anti-inflammatories which I did NOT give him as I did not trust her at that point and they had mentioned he could get liver/kidney damage from taking the anti-inflammatory. He slowly got better to the point I thought he was ok and I sent him after a rabbit at which time he came back holding that leg in the air. Again he slowly got better but much more slowly until one day he seems anxious and distressed while we were camping. I took him back to the animal hospital where I seen another vet. This one was more interested in his problem. Read his chart, took an x-ray, and did the little thing Steve was talking about where he like manipulated the joint (YES this did make my dog much worse afterward). Recommended I give him the anti-inflammatories daily, pain meds as needed, and that he have the TPLO surgery. I gave him the meds and two days later it was like he was cured. He was jumping on the bed, he was going up and down the stairs, he was not constantly wanting to be right by me, and it was like a miracle. A few days later I came home and he was limping again like he aggravated the injury while I was gone. Not sure how I feel about the constant anti-inflammatories as it seems to make him feel like he is better only to give him a false sense of ability then hurt himself again. Anyway at his age, I am not crazy about them cutting his bone in two then erector setting it back together. I should crate him now without the surgery and if I do the surgery he would definitely need to be crated. The crating part as his age almost seems cruel especially if I am not in the room with him during.

@@jcmo69 How is your Pupper now? Same happened to my dog, and Vet was starting to charge, charge, charge. So, I am gonna try conservative approach like SteveS.

@@PoeLemic He's going ok for being like 13 now. You wouldn't know he needed surgery but there was six months of carrying him up and down stares. No running outside, I would check for squirrels and rabbits before letting him out. He's lucky, he's not ever going to be 100% but he could have healed and injured himself over and over too so good that never happened.

Same experience is happening to me. What holistic measures did u take and did it help?

To answer the question how much walking, I feel at first you only want to walk enough for bathrooms and slowly increase activity over time. You will know if it is too much because the dog with be sore afterwards or the next day.

What was the timeline for recovery? I’m at week 4 and my dog is putting partial weight but the vet was hoping for better by now.

@@racheltenerelli41how’s your pup? I’m going through the early stages of healing wondering how long it will take before my boy makes a full recovery if at all 😩

@@Hunterbenx my boy ended up tearing the other leg unfortunately. He’s 36 lbs and he’s a pittie mix with little dog legs. The extra weight was just too much for his body type. I got the tplo surgery on both legs and he’s made a full recovery. It was expensive but he’s only 2 years old and the implants last for the rest of his life. He’s very active so making him rest and heal naturally was really challenging. If the dog had a mellow temperament with a less stocky frame, natural healing is easier.

You write that Dexter overdoes it sometimes and pays the price for it, which to me sounds like maybe he is doing a little too much too soon. In my non-professional opinion, 6 months is a fairly long time to take pain pills and anti-inflammatory drugs as they mask the pain allowing the dog to overuse the unstable joint. Also, I wouldn't want to put a ceiling on the potential for the dog to recover to only 85%, even though this may be enough for many owners as well as for the dog to be happy and pain free. I am still noticing improvements with my dog, mostly in terms of muscle mass returning to the injured leg and also that I am able to increase her activity without seeing any detrimental effects. She is not back to 100% of what she used to do, and maybe she won't ever be, but I have not yet capped her potential to continue to improve. For a 90 pound, active young dog you really had your work cut out for you. I hope he continues to improve.

Steve Scarantino I’ll clarify a few things. I didn’t have him on full doses for six months. It was a weening off process and given only when needed on medication. The last 3 months he only used a one months prescription. If your dog needs it though, he needs it. I still see improvement in Dexter. I can also he his stance in the back. Surgery or no surgery Dexter is at risk of other issues because of this injury like arthritis. Dexter overdoing it is something that is part of being Dexter. He is extremely active! He is also a water dog, it’s in his DNA. He loves the water and I’ll not deny him that love. We go to the ocean and nature trails to the marsh to swim. These outings take usually about an hour even when kept short.. that is a bit too much.. just a bit. He is getting stronger and maybe he will build to sixty minutes of running/swimming, he is not there yet. I’m also not going to stop.. he loves too much. He is normal again the next morning, just soar for a few hours. He is young and still wants to have fun.

Awesome to hear he improving more and he gets to have so much fun. Thanks for the clarification on the pain meds as I think the weening off is a great idea. That would have been better than stopping cold turkey like I did. I assume some arthritis is a given with these types of injures, but hopefully the degree of it is something that can be controlled. I also agree with your earlier comment about preventing this from happening in the first place as soon as it's noticeable the dog has that on again off again limp. This would be the best time to do conservative management! Even worse I think some vets recommend surgery at times when it is only a partial tear and would get better in a matter of weeks if properly rested. I guess when you know better you do better! Thanks for posting on here for other people to learn from.

I want to thank you. You've made my mind up for me. I'll be getting the surgery. I respect your decisions and the choices you had to make but my dog is young enough and we have been hiking partners for long enough that I know for a fact now that I must get the surgery for her. Our life would not be the same if we could not do those things. Best of luck to you and to steve, and I hope your dogs do well with the regimine I know you have lovingly set up for them. Anyone who sleeps out of their bed to help their dog be comfortable can know for sure they are doing everything within their means to do right by their fur family. I'll be taking the surgery route, but I thank my lucky stars that I am in a position to make that decision.

Good information, Thanks. I'm doing the conservative treatment but also doing laser treatments and some PT at my Vets office to help things out. I read a lot of good things about this. The injury just happened to my dog about 10 days ago, went directly to the Vet, got x-rays and full exam. Drawer motion was noted so she's on small doses of anti inflammatory and pain meds, LOTS of rest and very short walks, to do her business, alternating ice and heat packs with massage 4 times a day. Hoping for a good outcome but I know most of all it takes time and patience. She's in great health otherwise...

Thanks for sharing your experience and helping others who read it. Hope your dog is doing well.

Can you let me know if your dog is well?

@@anablandinadea.p.carvalho2252 thankfully she's recovered well. I give her a human supplement (Great Lakes gelatin) which I swear by! I don't play tug nor fetch with her anymore but she's a happy girl just running off leash at her own pace. Thanks for asking 🙂

How long did you restrict her activity for? Did you use a brace at all... did you supplement with the great lakes collagen powder?

@@nph_fit almost most a year! I would only take her out on short walks on a leash for her to do her business. It was a double edged sword because as she was healing the one leg I noticed that she was losing muscle on all other legs so I eventually let her run off leash at her own pace so that she could gain her muscle back. She still takes the Great Lakes gelatin and will continue to do so.

Same with mine. Her name is Oreo. It just happened recently around 05-20-2020. How is your doggie doing now? We're at the start of the journey, so be nice to hear how yours is doing now. Thanks.

I'm glad the video was useful. Best wishes for your dog's recovery.

How's your dog doing? Any updates? My dog got injured recently...my heart is broken but I want to help her. The vet suggested conservative first.

How did you go ?

I had a $6000 emergency bill and got a CareCredit card to pay for it. They usually offer 0% interest but if you do that be sure to pay it off in time or the rate skyrockets and they charge a bunch of interest. My dog would've died though. Now he has this problem and his vet appointment is in a month. $8k sounds kind of high to me. I heard the surgery is more like $4k or $5k. I hope your dog heals without it but if you do get the surgery maybe shop around a little 🤷‍♀️

@@KatrinaDancer Depends on where you live. My sister paid over 12K for the surgery for her dog in NY but that also included the physical therapy afterwards. In Rutland, VT the same surgery including the after therapy is any anywhere from $2,700 to $3,600 depending on what procedure is done which is up to the surgeon on what he thinks is best.

Any update on your doggo?