Veterinary Specialty of Colorado Springs

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture is the most common orthopedic problem in dogs.
Canine ACL rupture almost always leads to progressive osteoarthritis and is almost always debilitating if left untreated.
The underlying cause of ACL rupture is biomechanical stress caused by a downward sloping tibial plateau and its relationship to the patellar tendon. Stifle joint stability is achieved when the tibial plateau is perpendicular to the patellar tendon.
The diagnosis of ACL rupture ranges from simple to complex.
Palpation to identify instability is accurate in complete acute tears.
Approximately 40% of all dogs have partial or chronic tears without obvious instability.
Palpation, radiography and/or arthroscopy lead to an accurate diagnosis in nearly all cases.

		ACL TREATMENT The two current techniques addressing the underlying biomechanical instability are the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) and the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). The TPLO, which changes the angle of the tibial plateau, has been popular for about 10-12 years and has a high success rate (about 95% of dogs return to 95-100% of normal). The TTA is a newer technique that changes the relationship of the patellar tendon and tibial plateau angle via an osteotomy (bone cut) in a non-weight bearing area of the bone. All animals with complete, partial or chronic tears are surgical candidates. The state-of-the-art treatments for CCR are TPLO or TTA. TPLO and TTA are the state of the art techniques for CCR in dogs. TPLO or TTA are the best procedures for virtually all dogs with CCR. Arthroscopy is used in conjunction with TPLO or TTA. The doctors at Colorado Canine Orthopedics have performed thousands of knee surgeries and arthroscopic surgeries. All animals receive a morphine epidural for pain relief. The patient can be discharged from the hospital the day of surgery, if the client desires.
Almost all dogs with ACL Tears sit to the side

How much does a TPLO cost?

Veterinary specialty care is a double-edged sword these days (no pun intended). All major orthopedic procedures are more sophisticated, successful, and less invasive today than they were in the past. These advances come at a cost for the surgeon and client. A prime example is an ACL repair. In the past, five hundred dollars of simple instruments and fifty cents worth of monofilament fishing line were utilized to repair canine ACL tears. The procedure was inexpensive but the results were inconsistent and in the case of large and giant breed dogs consistently poor! Often these rudimentary repair techniques end up costing pet owners more in the long run due to the additional cost of revising a failed surgery. Today’s most promising ACL repairs include tightrope, tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA), and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). These days an up to date surgeon uses hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment such as plating equipment, pneumatic/electric medical power drills and saws, and arthroscopic equipment to perform these procedures. Not to mention implants for all three of these procedures cost hundreds rather than the fifty cents needed to purchase fishing line used in the past.

All practices vary in costs to the client. Our costs here at CCO include everything needed on the day of surgery with the exception of blood work, which we ask your family veterinarian to perform ahead of time. Anesthesia, monitoring, pre and postoperative radiographs, epidural analgesia, arthroscopy, implants, postoperative laser therapy, and go home medications are included.

The average cost in 2010 is $2,680 for average sized dogs (giant breed dogs may incur additional cost).


	Choosing which ACL repair technique is best for your pet. Our surgeons have performed approximately 11,000 ACL repairs; approximately 6,000 TPLOs and approximately 5,000 other forms of ACL repair. TPLO remains the ‘gold standard’ for ACL repair techniques. TTA is a newer ACL repair technique. Our surgeons have performed over 300 TTA procedures. Our surgeons feel the TTA procedure is appropriate for a select subset of patients. Our surgeons will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of each surgery and help you make an informed decision. Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) Click here to see what our clients have to say...

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