Dog Joint Injuries

As in humans, dog joint injuries can result from a variety of situations; over excursion, acute trauma, or gradual breakdown are just some of the causes. Good treatment is critical to the successful rehabilitation so you should always seek the advice of a veterinarian if you suspect your pet has sustained an injury. Here are brief descriptions of some of the more common injuries.

Damaged Cranial Cruciate Ligament.

The cranial cruciate ligament is located within the stifle (knee) joint and acts to stabilize the femur on the tibia. The ligament can be torn as a result of an acute traumatic event or more commonly it ruptures due to a slow progressive breakdown of the ligament.

When the tear is sudden and complete, lameness may be severe and such that your pet refuses to bear weight on the leg. When the tear is partial or incomplete an intermittent lameness that is more noticeable after heavy exercise may be seen. Your dog may seem more lame on some days than others.

In large animals (greater than 30 pounds), the joint usually becomes arthritic and the joint thickens if surgical stabilization is not performed.

What to watch for:

Sudden onset of rear limb lameness

Gradual onset of lameness in a rear limb

Diagnosis:

The diagnosis is generally made by your veterinarian during the physical examination.

Relieve the symptoms of joint pain in dogs