Alex has hurt first TPLO leg

[alex221]

I didnt think anything else could happen to those back legs! Alex had his right rear TPLO done in September 02, left leg done October 03. Hes always favored the second surgery leg a little since surgery, but not enough to hold him back from any activity, and my vet thought it was probably just due to arthitis. When I got home from voting last night, he was limping...but favoring his RIGHT leg. This morning he is only toetouching with it. Im taking the day off to go to the vet, but I cant imagine what happened. The only possible thing I could think of, is that maybe sometime during the day, he slipped on the kitchen floor. He did this once when we first moved into this house, but Ive put down runner rugs and he seems to have managed fine since then.

Does anyone have any idea what could possibly have happened? I cant feel or see any swelling, but when I do a range of motion with that leg, he gets a little growly when the knee is bent.

Im hoping the vet can get us in early, right now all I can do is wait till they open so I can find out.
(pls excuse no apostrophes....this keyboard is on its way out)

[Chele]

I have no idea what's happening, but I'm glad to hear you're going to the vet with this. We tried a different procedure on Duncan's second cruciate ligament which didn't take and ended up having to have the TPLO done later that year. So three surgeries total on his back leg. Then he had a huge infection set in. I'm just hoping you don't have to redo the TPLO. Might have the vet check his hips and back while he's there to see if there could be a problem that's also affecting his knee. Good luck.

[flyballmom]

Sorry to hear that You've probably already done this, but check his paws/pads/toenails. I second the idea of having his back and hips checked as well as knee. I'd definitely want an X-ray. Once healed, TPLO's can't fail or break, the way a traditional repair can. Other things can be going on in there, tho. Let us know what you find out, Lisa.

[alex221]

I cant get him in to the vet until 2:45. I will definitely get Xrays, and Beth, the first thing I did was check toes and pads, praying for the simplest answer. What really puzzles me is how this just seemed to happen within a matter of hours. He never favors the right leg, in fact, I considered it the stonger of the 2. I wonder if it could be something to do with the hardware in there?

Think good thoughts for us please, Ill let you know the outcome when we get home.

[Anne]

alex221 All the best for the vet visit and I hope it is something simple.
Our experience here mirrors yours with the right leg being first to be done and the left leg the second. Sophie also favours the left leg which was not as successful as the first surgery.

I thought TPLO surgery was virtuall indestrucable too. I hope we are correct.

I hope you will post and let us know how Alex goes and I wish you good luck.

[flyballmom]

OK...so....by my calculation it's almost 9PM your time. What did you find out? I'm worried.

[Anne]

I'm with you Beth, I'm worried too.

Please let us know Alex221.

[alex221]

Sorry guys, I tried to post last night, but for some reason I couldn't. I took Alex to see my regular vet and he did alot of manipulating of his leg and determined it's the knee that is the issue. He said he was looking for neurological problems, back or hip pain and he didn't think that was where the problem was. He told me he could do Xrays, but he was 99% sure the problem was in the knee itself and recommended I call the surgeon who did the TPLO. So, it was pretty much a wasted trip, although I'm glad at least he was honest. He told me he could do Xrays, but Dr. Pond would probably want to do his own Xrays and he didn't think we needed to do them twice, especially since Alex requires sedation for Xrays. I do trust this doctor, he knows Alex very well and is really good with him.

So now, I have a call into the surgeon, I had to leave a message on his service and I'm waiting to hear back from him. I remember he did surgeries on Mondays and Wednesdays, so hopefully he can see Alex either today or tomorrow.

I'll be sure and let you know when I know something.

[flyballmom]

Well that sucks. (Can I say that here?) Well, let us know when YOU know.

Originally Posted by alex221

Sorry guys, I tried to post last night, but for some reason I couldn't. I took Alex to see my regular vet and he did alot of manipulating of his leg and determined it's the knee that is the issue. He said he was looking for neurological problems, back or hip pain and he didn't think that was where the problem was. He told me he could do Xrays, but he was 99% sure the problem was in the knee itself and recommended I call the surgeon who did the TPLO. So, it was pretty much a wasted trip, although I'm glad at least he was honest. He told me he could do Xrays, but Dr. Pond would probably want to do his own Xrays and he didn't think we needed to do them twice, especially since Alex requires sedation for Xrays. I do trust this doctor, he knows Alex very well and is really good with him.

So now, I have a call into the surgeon, I had to leave a message on his service and I'm waiting to hear back from him. I remember he did surgeries on Mondays and Wednesdays, so hopefully he can see Alex either today or tomorrow.

I'll be sure and let you know when I know something.

[SonnyRott]

Good Grief! If it's not one thing, it's another.

To answer your original question, yes, it could have happened with something as simple as a slip on the floor.

Our previous Rottie went out to potty one winter day. It had just snowed the night before. I opened the back door to let him in, and the deck apparently had a layer of ice beneath the snow. Just like Bambi, his legs went out from under him. He did a "split", pulled himself up but the damage was done. He tore his knee. The surgery was done a long time ago so I am not as familiar with new types of surgery, but right after coming home, I took Rocco out to pee (using the towel as a sling) and when he lifted his leg to pee.....SNAP! The wire broke. I could hear it. It was supposed to withstand several hundred (or thousand pounds...I forget which) of pressure. We raced back to the vet, with a screeching dog, for another round of surgery!

[alex221]

After reading this post from SonnyRott, I was just thinking....since there are no wires or filaments holding Alex's knee together like in the traditional surgery, I was thinking about what IS in there that could possible get injured. Then I thought about the meniscus. After both surgeries, the surgeon told me that since the meniscus was intact he left them in. Could it possibly be something to do with this? Beth?

STILL waiting to hear from Dr. Pond, and getting rather impatient.

[BostonRott]

I think your decision to not xray until Dr Pond is available is a good one. I know the vet who did Banja's TPLO in Sept is very big on doing his own xrays, they're a higher quality.

Banja is still in the healing stages (she's 8.5wks post) and one of the things they keep warning me about is the patellar ligament (and being careful not to injure it while the bone heals). Not sure if there's anyway you could determine this, but maybe that could be an answer..........patellar ligament sprain?

As Beth said, there's nothing to fail, once the bone is healed, unless for some reason there's a new fracture along the plate. I do sincerely hope not! Is there any pain if you manipulate the leg (like you used to do in PROM movements)? What about if you palpate it?

I'm so sorry to hear this, and I wish you the best of luck. I'd put another call in if you haven't heard over a period of 2hrs, this is something that needs to be seen and acted upon!

[SonnyRott]

Here's a link (read near the bottom). It talks about the meniscus and other knee problems. Hope this helps. I didn't realize how old this information was. I will try to find something more recent.

http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/freed/cruciate.htm

[SonnyRott]

....And this is from the OFA website. Patellar luxation.

http://www.offa.org/patluxgeninfo.html

[flyballmom]

Lisa, did your ortho do a meniscal release? Generally if the meniscus is not torn it IS left in place, but the release is done. Here's the link from Slocum explaining it http://www.slocumenterprises.com/Art...al_release.htm
And yes, if the meniscus was not released, it could become injured. This far out from surgery I'd highly doubt you'd see a plate break or a screw migrate. Alex may also have just sprained something. Fingers crossed. Let us know.