+ Daisy’s Story – Back on Her Paws After Cruciate Ligament Surgery (TPLO & CCWO)
Daisy is an adorable 9-year-old West Highland White Terrier that became non- weight bearing on her right hindlimb after she was knocked over by another dog whilst chasing a bird. The team at Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital suspected she had injured her right cruciate ligament and was referred to the BVSC team for further diagnostics and treatment.
Sedated examination and radiographs was performed of her right stifle that confirmed she had a right cruciate ligament disease. In a normal stifle joint, the cranial tibial thrust force is counteracted by active elements such as the caudal thigh muscles and passive elements including the cranial cruciate ligament and meniscus. In Daisy’s scenario, the cranial tibial thrust force is not neutralised by the thigh muscle and the ruptured cruciate ligament and resulted in cranial tibial subluxation and instability of the right stifle.
What We Found
Sedated examination and radiographs was performed of her right stifle that confirmed she had a right cruciate ligament disease. In a normal stifle joint, the cranial tibial thrust force is counteracted by active elements such as the caudal thigh muscles and passive elements including the cranial cruciate ligament and the meniscus. What this means is that in healthy knees, this ligament helps keep the joint stable when a dog walks or runs. But in Daisy’s case, the torn ligament meant her knee had become unstable, causing the shin bone (tibia) to slip forward—something we call cranial tibial thrust. This type of instability can lead to pain and joint damage if left untreated.
In Daisy’s scenario, the cranial tibial thrust force is not neutralised by the thigh muscle and the ruptured cruciate ligament and resulted in cranial tibial subluxation and instability of the right stifle.
Pre-operative lateral radiograph of the right stifle.
Post-operative lateral radiograph of the right stifle following TPLO and CCWO procedure
+ Surgical Solution Tailored for Daisy
Generally, cranial cruciate ligament rupture is addressed with a surgical correction via a radial osteotomy (cut in the bone) approach called a Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO). The tibia or shin bone is then held in place with a very special plate and screws. This procedure provides a dynamic stabilisation of the tibial thrust by leveling the tibial plateau and reducing the magnitude of the cranial tibial thrust force. The magnitude of rotation is calculated prior to the surgical procedure. Daisy had a very steep Tibial Plateau Angle (TPA) that was beyond 34 degrees which is the maximum limit before risk of complications may occur (Daisy had a TPA of 46 degrees). She required not only a TPLO procedure, but an additional osteotomy procedure called a Cranial Closing Wedge Osteotomy to address her excessive TPA without risk of fracturing the proximal tibia.
+ Recovery and Outlook
At Daisy’s two-week post-op check-up, she was already showing great signs of healing. She’s been such a brave patient, and we’re thrilled with her progress so far. We’re looking forward to seeing her again at the eight-week mark for follow-up X-rays to check her bone healing.
With continued rest, love from her family, and some time, Daisy will be back to chasing birds in no time—hopefully with a little less drama!
If your dog is showing signs of lameness or struggling to bear weight on a leg, it could be a sign of cruciate ligament disease. Our team at BVSC is here to help every step of the way, from diagnosis to full recovery.
