Man, not again.

[Luke's Guide]

Last fall my 6 year old GSP had a TTA. Kind of an updated TPLO.
Well about 3 weeks ago she started showing the same symptoms on her other knee. Sure enough she needs to have the other knee rebuilt now.
My vet, who I really trust, says he is seeing this more often in sporting breeds. That it may be a genetic thing that shows up later in life. Cruciate disease it his term for it.

Anybody else experiencing this?

He doesn't think that her acl is completely blown like the other was but there is definite instability in the joint.

Searching the web I haven't been able to locate any sort of simple brace she could wear. I was thinking of one like you see guys wearing playing football that looks almost like rubber tubing.

Any thoughts?

Bob

I've been out a while and really like the new look of the site.

[Chaingang]

I have heard from discussions here and elsewhere that once you have one it is not uncommon for the other leg to follow suit.

[1vizsla]

Try www.handicappedpets.com . They have all sorts of braces.

Carla

[Luke's Guide]

Thanks Carla, I'll take a look.

Bob

[ezzy333]

Hope you find something that works. You might be better off to get it done now if it has to be done and maybe you will be able to hunt this fall and winter.

Ezzy

[Luke's Guide]

Hey Ezzy,

I hope your doing well.

With the last procedure she went from post-op to 100% in about 7 weeks so that is a consideration. Also the vet said this knee is not as bad as the other one so hopefully an easier recovery to boot.

Bob

[bionerd76]

The same thing happened with my parent's dog. Blew the left and then the right. The only difference is she blew the right while rehabbing the left. Came to the front door as happy as a clam dragging both legs behind her. The vets at U of I did the surgery and everything has been great since. Good luck!

Chris

[snips]

I used to have some problems with some of my old Wildburg stuff. Had 2 dogs that eventually had to have both done. One dog, one of the most awsome dogs I had did the first at 2, then second one at 3. I started checking back and found that Essers Chick had had cruciate problems. I have bred other stuff into the lines since then with no more problems. But, makes you wonder.

[Luke's Guide]

Thanks for the insight guys and gal.

Since she had such good results with the other side it looks like I'll be putting in some overtime for the second knee.

I will definitely add one more criteria to the bloodline search next time around.

Bob

[ezzy333]

Get her well so we can shoot a few birds this winter. My two really did well last year after I got Rush back in the field. I have to spend a little time with them to staunch them up till the bird is flushed. Once in a while they like to help but will stand forever if they are backing. Seems funny to me.


Ezzy

[1vizsla]

Here is the website that I was actually looking for when you first posted. www.woundwear.com

Carla

[Petra]

Hello, my two and half year old GSP is having the TTA surgery June 2 ,tried 4 mo. of therapy because knee didnot have any extra movement but she always showed signs of being lame in the evening so an x-ray and all the synp. sched. surgery if there really isn't a tear it will turn iinto an exploratory, The ortho. surgeon said it is a conformation problem, the legs are too straight they need to have a good bend in the knee, if done alot of reasearch on this. there is an orthodog web site. Good Luck

[WildRose]

Just curious is the bitch spayed? If so at what age? Yes unfortunately quite often you see dogs that have orthopedic particularly ligament/tendon issues get them bilaterally (meaning same problem same joint on opposite sides).

My dad had a bitch years ago that tore her achilles on the left leg. He had it repared but was warned that it would likely happen in the other leg as well. Sure enough it did, two years later. CR

[markerdown]

Oh man, that really bites! Did you start her on supplements after the first surgery? My last male blew both out. The second went 1 year later. I had him neutered @6 months and he was a large GSP.

My female blew hers right around the time yours did. She got the TPLO. I give her 2 fresh factors and another joint supplement daily. On exercise days she'll get an additional 2 fresh factors.

She just turned 6 yrs old on 1 Jun (the pup in my avitar). I watch how she runs to make sure she doesn't favor one side or the other to detect any problems. She's a big runner and we hunt/run in rough desert terrain. Having been thru this before and now reading your post has resurected my concerns for the other knee.
Hope everything works out well for both of you................markerdown

[rstbkt69]

I'd like to double the question that wildrose asked. Was she spayed and at what age? How about your other dog too?
Jim

[CherrystoneWeims]

I'd like to double the question that wildrose asked. Was she spayed and at what age? How about your other dog too?
Jim

LOL I was going to ask this same question!

[rstbkt69]

Hey Luke's Guide AKA Bob. There is some evidence that working or hunting dogs, not foo foo lap dogs, that are altered before they are fully matured suffer more of this type of injury than dogs that wait till they are mature. Were your dogs altered early or after they were physically mature. Many of us are waiting for some type of conformation to base a well educated guess as when we can actually spay or neuter our dogs with out harming them in some way, so could you fill us in on if and when the dogs were altered ,
THanks

[markerdown]

That early spay/neuter issue as it relates to joint/ligament issues is a whole 'nuther can-o-worms that always gets re-opened. For the record, my recent GSPs that were spayed/neutered @6 months blew ACLs. My first dog, an intact male, lived to the ripe old age of 16 without a hitch in his giddy-up. My present pup just got sliced @24 months.

Ok, that's all I'm gonna say from my soap box. I have very strong opinions agains early spay neuter, don't get me started markerdown

Oh what the heck:
IMHO, wait until your pup is at least 24 monthe before considering spay/neuter. The math: 2 GSPs neutered @6 months, 3 blown ACLs, 3TPLO surguries,$7500 dollars later, a lot of down time and, pain/anxiety on both human and canines that no dollar amount can justify. Early spay/neuter a lap dog not your hunting partner!

[rstbkt69]

Hey thats what I was looking for, someone with some facts to back up what iIhad heard. I decided months ago to wait till 18 to 24 months I just never heard anyone that had any first hand experience with what a lot of us suspected.

[WildRose]

It's not just rumor rstbkt. There's a lot of data to support that early spay/neuter causes serious increases in ligament and tendon issues. CR

[rstbkt69]

I'm just glad i found out about this early enough. On my gsp's first visit to the vet she started talking about it like the appointment was allready set up. I came home kind of concerned that she would not even consider that I wasn't going to spay her and started to do my research and found out about the ligament problems. I just had not heard from anyone that had this experience and just needed something solid to back up my decision not to spay till 2 yrs, if I did at all. We just year before last had a dog with pyrometra and I had never heard of that till she was sick and too late but she is 13 yrs old now.I just started looking into doing any research on dogs till last December when we pick up our GSP. Now I'm always learning something. She is off getting trained now. Should have her back in 2 months, and i get to go work with her this week.

[Luke's Guide]

Sheesh. Sorry I missed the questions about her being spayed.

Yes she is and she was done before her first heat cycle. A little after 6 months.

Since she was my child before my son was born I feel like I let her down. I know better now.

She is under the knife as I write this and I was going back over old posts to refresh some recovery thoughts and noticed I hadn't answered the spayed question.

I started her on joint supplements during her last recovery. She is a large GSP (70 pounds) and the supplements obviously can only do so much.

Bob

[markerdown]

How's the pup doin? After hearing she blew the second, I've been watching mine very closely. She had hers done a few days after yours did. Same age, same spay time frame. She may be next.

I had her out running this weekend and cringed evertime she would do a high speed pivot or rocket in and out of a wash. She's back to full speed and there is no slowing her down. She is a very busy girl.

[Luke's Guide]

Markerdown. She's doing really well. Surgery went fine and she is clawing at the kennel as I write.

She seems to be more agitated at being penned up this time. Either she is getting crotchety with age or the fact that this is the second time in 9 months she has had to endure this process.

Thanks for asking.

Bob