Has anyone ever experienced a torn ligament in the knee with their dog?

My 2year old lab-pit mix is very strong, heathly, and active. She and my other dog play and run pretty hard and rough on our 100 acre farm. When the vet came to look at our horse I had her take a look at Hyla and she seems to think one of her ligaments is torn in her left knee. It has been a while since the injury I am really not sure when it happened. I have always fed her high quality dog food or homemade and supplements. Right now she is taking a glucosomine, antioxidant, and vit A & E also Omega fatty acids. I am trying to keep her a little less active. Sometimes at the end of the day she will start limping and you can palpate the knee and feel it swollen, it is starting to feel hard like bone. I guess my next step is going to be x-ray or mri to see what exactly is going on in there and if i want to go with surgery. I have been also thinking about any herbal options that may help rebuild tissues. Does anyone have any experience with this?

It seems as though she may have torn/ruptured her cruciate ligament, just as the vet suspected. None of my pets have gone through that, but I see it enough at the hospital I work at. Your next step would be to have radiographs taken to see how bad of a tear it is. Some can heal on their own, but with VERY restricted exercise and activity. With a 100 acre farm (I am totally jealous) and other pets that will be tough! So yes, I believe radiographs are the next step.

Personal experience no but my friends Lab did the same thing. She had the surgery to repair the torn ligament and the dog is good as new. Recovery from this surgery is foremost to the long term well being of the dog.There is no herbal remedy for this kind of tear. It must be repaired by surgery.

I am sorry I have never had experience with that situation but from what you have said it sounds like you already know what to do next, and I would say that talking to the vet and getting xrays is probablythe way to go.

Does sound like a torn ALC, and it is a common problem with dogs that are asked to run as hard as retrievers do.

i dont, but i think you should take her to your veterinarian. my friend had that happen to HER dog, and it needed orthopedic surgery. i would say set up an appointment to take her to the vet and see whats up.i hope this helps! good luck

Hi,Our Jack Russell tore her cruciate ligament in one of her back knees. Slowly over a period of months we noticed she was using the leg less and less so we went to the vets. Surgery was the only repair. Its quite a big operation for a dog but she is absolutely fine now.

The next things are:xraycheck the knee manually for drawer movementIt has nothing to do with dog food.It can be caused by an injury. My 4 year old male pyr had surgery at 2 1/2 (TPLO) for cruciate ligament injury. His ligament was 75 or 80% torn. He was a 3 legged dog more and more. It can be a dog who's developing arthritis.You should join two yahoo groups:orthodogsconservative managementCM will give you help on how to try to use CM methods to avoid surgery.If surgery is needed or recommended, Orthodogs is a great help and resource. Surgery is scary and the support they give is very valuable.

My 2 year old pitbull has the same in both knees. He also take glucosomine and deramaxx if the pain gets really bad. We discovered this when he was 9 months old. I've restricted his activity and very rarely do i have to give him the meramaxx for pain. I do know one day he will need the surgery but i'm holding off until he's done growing & it's necessary. If you find any other solution that works please do post it. Good luck & I hope he' does better soon.

Sorry to say surgical is the best way. Labs are prone to joint injuries and hip problems. If she is in this much pain only at 2 can you imagime what it will be like years from now? It the sad reality with big dogs but there are several products on the market(and you are already doing a good job!)to help after surgury.I had a female rottie pup do this at 4months but we caught it as quick as it happened and it mended fine. I just took extra care with her afterwards. No jumping into or out of the truck box, no truck box riding unless in a crate to eliminate sliding which is very unhealthy. Keep her weight in check i not a few pounds under to help elimante stress on the joints. But please, consider the surgury. Keep us informed