ACLs tear; luxation of patella?

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I was hunting with my 4 year old female chesapeake bay last week when she came up lame on her right back leg. I checked her out and found her pads to be quite abraded, so we called it quits for the day and went home. Two days later, she was still limping badly on that foot, so we made a trip to the vets. X-rays of the hips and knees showed nothing, and I was given some pain meds to treat her with. It has now been one week since the injury with little improvement....she still hops around protecting her right limb.
I am thinking that she has either a luxation of the patella or an ACLS tear. She is in no pain that I can tell; she will let me manipulate the leg without any problem, and when I do, I feel a bit of crepidus (clicking) over the knee joint.
I am going to try and get her back to the vet tonight.....my question is, if this is an ACLS or Luxation, I am assuming that surgery is the required course of action. I have no problem with that, but I am wondering if she will ever hunt again, or will her destiny be to be early retirement? thanks in advance for your replies.

[gspsonny03]

I don't know about a luxation,but if it's a ACLS tear, I would think she should be able to hunt again, she may not ever be 100%, but it should heal. I'm betting she probably strained a muscle. Have you tried giving her a buffered aspirin? I would think that if it was a tear or a luxation, that she would at least whine, if not yelp when you tried moving her joints. Now keep in mine I'm no vet, so don't let me dissuade you from seeing one, this is just my 02 cents.

[Doc E]

It's extremely difficult to diagnose over the net.

If there is little or no improvement at this time frame, it's probably more than just a pulled muscle. If the xrays showed nothing, and the medication didn't work, then it's likely an injury to cartilage/ligament/tendon.
If it's a luxated patella, it should have shown on xray. If it's an ACL, your Vet should have done an orthopedic test called the "drawer test" and it would have shown up -- UNLESS it's only a slight tear, then the drawer test might seem alright.

If your dog is still having a lot of trouble, I'd be seeing a Vet Orthopedist -- or taking your dog to the nearest Vet School.

If it is a torn ACL (often times called CCL in the Vet world), there are two kinds of surgery. One is the older traditional ACL repair and one is called a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy).
The TPLO is more expensive than "regular" ACL repair and worth every penny.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Thanks for the information....we have an appointment tomorrow with an orthopedic specialist. Keeping my fingers crossed.........
What surprises me is that for the amount of limping she is doing, she shows no sign of pain, whatsoever......

[pasha]

Mr. 16 gauge,

What was the diagnosis and the treatment for your dog you got from the orthopedic specialist? I have the same issue with my dog, she has been limping, but not showing any signs of pain, but avoiding using her hind leg. I would be very interested to hear what your outcome was.

THANK YOU!!!