So I have a female black lab. She's almost 8. In April she tore her CCL or ACL is what we humans call it. I had the surgery done in April and she healed well. Been fine. Tonight, she came in the house holding the same leg up and putting no weight on it. Now, there are 3 types of surgeries. I could only afford the less expensive one for 1100$. The other two are 4000-5000$. Im pretty sure she has torn it again. I know they make braces for the knee and this injury and sometimes it will heal. But I don't think it will. I don't even know that getting the 1100$ surgery again is worth it. And I don't have 4-5K for the other one.. What would you guys do? She's my baby, like a daughter to me..but then again, I can't do what I can't do..
Can't tell you what to do, but...I'd talk to the vet. They may be able to do something to help cut the price, maybe installment pay, or other barter... My lab took off out the back door to chase deer a few years ago (maybe 5yrs ago) and, blew out her acl. We did go for one of the middle prices surgeries, but seems like it was 2-3k. She's doing well and walks generally ~5 miles a day with me.
had a friend that had a shelter dog developed gall bladder issues he spent $1000 to diagnose a $12,ooo surgery he asked me what to do. I told him you could help many shelter dogs for that kind of $. Put the dog down.
my only concern is reoccurred injury now that it's been torn once. Im not sure that she has torn it again, but she's acting like it. But it looks like 3500-5500$ is the range for the better surgery. they do make a brace for this injury. I think I will look into that. I know Sota you have dogs and You know they are damn near like your kids after years with them. When I went through my divorce she stayed with me, ex didn't fight to have her and she never left my side in my darkest nights. she was more loyal than my ex wife ever was .
Anyone who really knows me knows that I like dogs more than I like most people. I have six dogs in the house and I love my dogs. The last addition to the pack was Rico, a male shepherd mix mutt. I went fishing about three years ago and found two abandoned puppies that were starving. @dmen (on this forum) took one of them. They named him Odin and at last report he was living a happy life. My wife and I kept the other one. I'm a Starship Troopers fan and I already had a dog named Dizzy, so we named this one Rico. Rico was obviously either severely abused or he had a horrific accident. His right hind leg was shattered as a puppy. The bones in his right hind leg are in pieces and that leg kind of flops around. He still uses it for some things but for all practical purposes he might as well be a three legged dog. There were surgical options available, but at a price tag of around $8000 to $10,000. That's so far beyond what we could afford that we decided to just leave things be and let him live his life with us. Rico is the happiest, most loving, most loyal dog in our pack now. He struggles to get up sometimes and I know that when he gets older it will be a problem we will have to address, but for now he's a happy dog. My suggestion to you is this: If you can't afford the surgery, let it go and let her live her life. She might not get around as well as she has in the past, but she'll be a part of your family. You'll be there for her and she'll be there for you.
She seemed to recover well from the surgery. I have no idea what she did today to injure it again..maybe she just aggravated it or strained it.. thanks to all f9r the advice
I'd talk to the vet and see what the problem is. May not be something that needs surgery. It may be something that can be managed with anti inflammatory medication or low dose pain meds. Might even subside on it's own. I've had dogs my whole life. They don't comprehend physical impairment like we do. If however the dog is in constant pain and quality of life is no longer good than that's a tough choice I've had to make before.
I agree completely with LittleChief. I wouldn't put a dog down that just had a limp, even at 8yo...I personally just couldn't. I also couldn't spend that kind of money on a dog surgery unless it was in installments...not sure I would even if I could but I'd see what the vet says and go with a brace if it's torn again. Hell I'd splint it or tie her in a carriage before I'd spend that kind of money at the vet. I had a lamb born back in May, by the time I got there for morning checks, she had been born maybe 30 minutes. She had one back leg so busted up it was like jello, no idea how it happened, mother rolled on her or someone stepped on her. I built a splint for her by heating PVC and vet wrapped it to her. She wore it for nearly two months and there were some issues with it coming undone but eventually it healed up. Now shes as big as her mother and even I can hardly pick her out from the others. She has a little crook in it that I can see because I know where to look. Animals are amazing...I wouldn't give up on one unless it was just constantly writhing in agony.
One of my dogs is 15 and she slipped on the ice last year and sure enough it was the ACL. The vet said because she is so old putting her under for surgery might not be the best thing for her. She is on pain meds forever but it will heal and she will have a limp. Eventually she should get arthritis in that leg. With that being said the best advice will come from your veterinarian. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I'd check to make sure it's nothing serious at the vets. If was nothing serious and she wasn't in pain I'd let it go if can't afford the surgery. Dogs like most animals are pretty hearty and I'm sure she'll work around it. We had a collie growing up that got hit on the toad and broke his back leg. Got it fixed up and he still favored it some but went on for another 6 or 7 years just fine. He'd only act like it was hurt to get some sympathy if he got in trouble. But most the time you'd never know. And actually my dog I have now tweaks one of his hind legs occasionally and will kinda limp around for day or two. So maybe just did that. Good luck though. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Has the dog been tested for Lyme disease? My dog developed a limp. Vet tested him for Lyme he was positive. Months worth of pills he’s good to go. Just a thought.
Yah. She torn the same CCL/ACL back in April. I can't gently straighten her leg out and when I get it fully extended she let's me know that it hurts. I am going to try the brace. My issue with surgery is that if she tore it in 4 months who is to say she won't tear it in another 4 months and Im out a nother 1100$
I would recommend at least taking her in to the vet and finding out what's going on. The vet will always recommend the "best" option, but there will be other options. Ask them what they are and what the likely outcome is if you opt to not have their first recommendation done. We had a small Heinz57 type dog growing up. One day she ran in front of the pickup while dad was going up the driveway and ended up with a broken pelvis. We took her to the vet, they wanted to do surgery. Dad explained that we absolutely couldn't afford it. The vet said the only other option was to lock her up in a very small space so she couldn't move around much and see if it would heal. It was several weeks, but she healed up just fine and the only way you could even notice was a little hitch in her right hind leg when she ran. Lived several more years after that and was just fine.
I have to agree with Sota. My daughter's dog had a neurological problem that led to his hindquarters being paralyzed. Her neighbor is a vet, said he could do surgery to the tune of about $4K but didn't recommend it. Had the dog put down as they had to carry him outside several times a day. Weighed about 70 lb.
Well, he will want to do x rays, at that will cost a ton, plus the visit which is minimum of 150$.. She has put some weight on it at times today. I think I am going to get a brace and just keep her in the crate and monitor her movement for a week or so and see what happens,
