The hard fibrous bands that connect the thigh bone (femur) to the tibia are called cruciate ligaments, commonly abbreviated to ACL. Sometimes, carrying a great deal of weight or continual use of the ligament results in a rupture. However, the injury can also occur after strenuous exercise and running. Signs of an ACL injury may consist of recurrent mild lameness, unsteadiness, reluctance to walk, and knee pain. While surgery may sometimes be necessary, you can use home remedies and non-surgical treatments to help your dog recover from an ACL injury.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Home Remedies
Step 1. Know when you can safely forgo surgery
Both surgical and non-surgical methods can be used to treat an ACL injury; generally it is useful for the dog to follow a combination of both. However, the type of therapy that is suitable varies according to the size of the animal, its physical condition and the severity of the lameness.
If the dog weighs less than 20 kg it is not advisable to undergo surgical procedures
Step 2. Treat your dog's injured ACL by reducing his body weight
The ligament is intended to stabilize the paw and provide support during activities that involve weight bearing. Excessive body weight is a risk factor and a major cause of ACL injury, due to the extra stress the ligament has to withstand from being overweight. You can facilitate your dog's healing process by making him lose weight. Combine an adequate diet with exercise.
- Reduce his calorie intake to at least 60%.
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Do not suddenly decrease it, however, but feed it gradually with smaller portions throughout the day.
To avoid any digestive problems, try to accustom your dog to the new diet gradually. Monitor your weight change regularly by following a regular weight reduction program
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Make sure you include regular exercise in your dog's routine, but that it isn't too vigorous. This can be a walk or a run.
- If the ACL is severely inflamed, you need to postpone exercise until after you've given it some NSAIDs to reduce pain.
- If your dog has a severely torn ACL, you should have him undergo specialist hydrotherapy (walking / swimming in water).
- Be sure to consult with your vet for a list of appropriate exercises based on the clinical condition of the dog.
- Thanks to the reduced pressure on the knee, the animal can heal quickly.
Step 3. Try to limit his activity
Complete rest and limited activity facilitate healing. Rest helps reduce inflammation by helping the body to heal naturally. Some vets advise avoiding activity altogether, while others suggest letting him do some limited exercise.
- You shouldn't allow him to jump to catch a ball, frisbee, jump out of a vehicle, or off a porch.
- You can only go for a walk keeping him on a short leash.
Step 4. Use a towel to support it
Sometimes, it can be helpful to put a towel that acts as a harness under the dog's hip to support his weight and thereby speed up healing. This accessory is easily found on the market, but you can easily make one yourself using a towel or a children's jacket that you can retrieve at home.
- If you want to use a bath towel, cut a large towel in half and place it under the dog's abdomen. Apply upward pressure while holding both ends of the towel, thus helping your pet to walk.
- You can also use a commercially available sports bandage for this purpose.
- If you use a recycled jacket, you need to cut the sleeves so that it fits easily over the dog's abdomen.
Method 2 of 2: Medical Alternatives to Surgery
Step 1. Follow drug therapies
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are sometimes suitable for healing the torn ligament. They relieve pain during the observation period. Several groups of NSAIDs are used in the treatment of ACL. Doses vary according to the pain level, body weight and health condition of the dog.
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Commonly used NSAIDs are Oxicam derivatives (Meloxicam). They are suitable for different types of muscle and skeletal pain.
- The standard doses are: Meloxicam: 1 ml / 25 kg; Firocoxib (Previcox®): 5 mg / kg / day, Carprofen (Rymadil®): 4.5 mg / kg / day.
- However, the drugs available and the regulations regarding their administration may vary in different countries.
- In general, low doses and short term use are very safe, while higher long term doses can cause some side effects.
- If your dog is suffering from side effects such as vomiting, lethargy, depression or diarrhea, stop drug treatment and consult a veterinarian.
Step 2. Try rehabilitation therapy
See an experienced professional to have him undergo rehabilitation therapy to speed up wound healing. This option includes a wide range of range of motion and mobilization exercises, water walks, small obstacle jumping walks and slow controlled walking on a leash. If the condition improves, you can gradually introduce exercises such as climbing stairs, standing up and bending over.
- Water walking or swimming increases the animal's muscle strength.
- There are some veterinary hospitals that have these facilities, including special tubs and hydrotherapy hot tubs.
- Other physiotherapy practices may be helpful, including cryotherapy, laser therapy, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation.
Step 3. Put a brace on the dog
An external orthosis or knee brace can help support the joint, but research on the effects of this treatment is still limited. The purpose of these orthopedic supports is to support the joint and ligaments, allowing the injured leg to relax.
- Braces are often made of hard elastic materials and are placed between the femur and tibia to prevent unwanted movement of the knee.
- Dogs already advanced in age or those too young for surgery are often best suited for a brace.
- Orthopedic support provides an alternative when surgical treatment is too expensive.
Step 4. Give him some physiotherapy exercises
When your dog has regained some mobility and strength, you can try having him do some light exercises to rehabilitate the ligaments. These exercises should only be performed once they have been approved by a veterinarian, otherwise they could further worsen the animal's condition. Studies have found that adequate physical therapy performed by a licensed physiotherapist can help the dog recover by avoiding surgery. However, these studies do not specify that physical therapy is a viable alternative to surgery for most dogs.
- Have him put him in the normal position. On a floor with good footing, ask your dog to sit down and bring the knee as close to the body as possible. Then ask him to rise as slowly as possible, avoiding putting weight on the affected leg. Do 5 repetitions 3 times a day.
- Make him shift his weight. On a well-supported surface, hold the dog upright and swing his pelvis so that the weight rests on the affected paw. Start slowly and increase the intensity as the animal gets stronger. You can apply enough force so that it takes small side steps for each side. Do 10 repetitions 3 times a day.
- Have him support his weight on one side of his body. Have him lift the unaffected limb off the ground and hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds. Move his paw so that he loses his balance if he tries to lean on your hand. Another way to do this is to tape an object (such as a pen) under the uninjured foot so that it puts strength on the painful side; make sure he only performs this exercise under your supervision.
- Circles and figure 8. As you lead the dog on the leash, keep the dog on the left side and walk in tight circles and figure 8's. This movement allows him to support weight on both legs and increases strength and balance.
Step 5. Try prolotherapy to regenerate ligaments
This therapy, also known as non-surgical ligament reconstruction, is a medical treatment for chronic pain. "Prolo" is short for proliferation, because the treatment involves the proliferation (growth, formation) of new tissue in the areas where it has weakened. A proliferating substance (which promotes tissue reconstruction) is injected into the affected ligaments or tendons causing localized inflammation that "ignites" the healing process and directly stimulates the growth of new collagen, strengthening damaged and weakened ligaments.
- Prolotherapy is mostly used to treat joint pain and has been shown to increase ligament strength by 30-40% in humans. Clinical results of prolotherapy performed on dogs and cats seem to indicate the same response.
- As the tendons and ligaments become stronger, they are better able to support and maintain normal joint stability and pain is reduced.
- This therapy is a solution to consider when the fracture or injury is partial, especially if the dog is elderly or cannot be subjected to anesthesia.
Step 6. Consider regenerative stem cell therapy
This is a relatively new treatment. It has been used successfully to treat arthritis and other degenerative conditions in dogs, with very interesting results. However, this therapy requires minor surgery with anesthesia for both the collection and injection of stem cells.
Step 7. Know when surgery is needed
When the dog is being treated, most veterinarians recommend a 4-5 week observation period. After this period, the dog should be able to walk well on his knee, or with a slight lameness. However, if the condition remains stable without noticing any improvement, surgery is required. In most cases, a small dog can recover without surgery, while for those of heavier weight it is necessary.
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Keep in mind that even if symptoms resolve, secondary complications such as arthritis may develop.
- Arthritis is an irreversible change in the joint, slow or partial healing of the ACL injury can increase its severity.
- In addition, the dog will always tend to use the other leg to support the weight of the body, instead of the affected one. This can cause (in more than 50% of cases) the gradual rupture of another ACL.
