Client Education
Bonnie has a torn cruciate ligament, which is a ligament in the knee which holds the joint in a stable position.  Without this ligament intact every time Bonnie applies pressure to her left leg her tibia slides forward causing her pain.  We highly recommend surgical repair of this injury. If the ligament is not surgically replaced Bonnie will develop severe arthritis in this joint causing her to be lame for the duration of her life. The surgery costs between four and six hundred dollars. If you elect to not do surgery, we will try to keep Bonnie calm until the torn tissue has time to form a scar. During this time, we will provide pain medication to make her more comfortable. This may take four to eight weeks, but it is very likely she will develop severe arthritis. 
Bonnie's long-term outcome following surgical repair is good. There is a 78-95% success rate for full return to normal activity. After full recovery it is also important to continue exercising Bonnie to help in weight reduction.  Immediately after the surgery, Bonnie will need to be kept in a crate for ten days with no exercise.  After two weeks you can take her on leash walks or swimming.  After twelve weeks she can return to her normal exercise routine.   You will need to bring Bonnie back two weeks after surgery for a recheck and suture removal.  Bonnie will need to come back in six months to have the screws removed.  If she becomes more lame, painful, depressed or doesn't improve during this time please bring her in for evaluation.  Bonnie will be sent home with Etogesic for pain and inflammation. Give her one pill each morning for three days. Success with either option requires that Bonnie's weight be reduced.  Excess weight will place excess strain on joints increasing the likelihood of tearing a ligament while exercising.  To achieve optimal weight we recommend Bonnie be placed on a reducing diet such as Hill's R/D following the recommended feeding instructions on the bag.