My dog has a torn ACL and the vet said it would cost $2500 - 3000 for surgery. We can't afford to pay for the surgery but I'm not sure what our other options are. The vet gave us some pain meds for her, but that won't really solve the problem. It is getting to the point where all she'll do is lay on her bed and not move all day.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do? She is about 85 lbs and only 7 years old.

It may be time to put her down. Sometimes its better to think about the dog's quality of life rather than prolonging it for your sake.

Usually vets will let you pay it out if you are long time customers...I know of one that will anyhow (even without being your primary care doc,) and he's an Aggie. He's a great vet, but has little beside manner.

Dr. Stern at Needville Animal clinic.

Post this to the Outdoors board as well. There are several vets that post there who can help.

RandyAg is a vet who visits this board but his wife is getting ready to have a baby soon so he may not be frequenting the interwebs lately.

There's not some type of doggy brace it could wear?

My older sister's dog had the same surgery and she was about 8, now she's better than ever. She still limps but she's got much more pep to her. I recommend having the surgery done. Call around and see if you can get a cheaper quote.

Also there's a card I'm actually using for dentist work since I don't have dental insurance. They cover participating vets too. It's called Care Credit and you can apply online at carecredit.com. They'll give you no interest payments for up to 3 years. My vet participates: Hearthstone Animal Clinic, the vet is an Aggie and he's awesome and loves dogs. HTH

I am not a vet but have had a couple of dogs with orthopedic problems and have spent a fair amount of time (and a horrible amount of money) down at Gulf Coast. Is your vet recommending a TPLO? That will fix the problem but is expensive. I think the issues with the conservative treatment is that arthritis will develop in the joint and the dog will probably not regain total function--especially for big dogs.

If you can swing the surgery, you can have your dog back. I agree with the previous poster about care credit and I think it is interest free as long as it is paid off in time. I would also call around here and to the vet school to check on prices. If your vet refers you down to Gulf Coast, expect some sticker shock. I would assume that a regular vet who can do the procedure would be less expensive than GC. I did a quick google search and found that these vets are certified in TPLO. Good luck!

http://www.slocumenterprises.com/TPLO%20USA/tploveterinarianstx.htm

Ric:

Call and get an appointment with Dr. Greg Matt at Beechnut Animal Hospital. He does a procedure called the tightrope procedure for torn ACLs. Should run in the $1000-$1500 range. Studies show it to be as effective as the TPLO with actually fewer severe complications.

He was my employer right out of school. A great guy and an awesome surgeon. He has done a ton of these procedures.

In a big dog like yours, not having something done surgically to stabilize the knee is asking for trouble with osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.

You can call him at 713-774-9731. Ask for Patricia. Their website is www.beechnutanimalhospital.com

nothing to add here other than "i like randyag"

randyag to the rescue.

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It may be time to put her down. Sometimes its better to think about the dog's quality of life rather than prolonging it for your sake.

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Damn, I'd hate to be JK's dog....you'd get a bullet in the head at the first sign of trouble!

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Damn, I'd hate to be JK's dog....you'd get a bullet in the head at the first sign of trouble!

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ehhh it is a tough spot to be in.. i don't agree with making a dog suffer, but i also do not agree with making the rest of your family suffer if you can't afford $3k. hopefully the $1k option will be easier to swallow and won't cause as much hardship.

Good Job RandyAg

Ric...update?

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Damn, I'd hate to be JK's dog....you'd get a bullet in the head at the first sign of trouble!

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It's a dog. I'd have a hard time spending $3000 on a surgery for myself, much less a surgery for my dog.

My apologies if I upset those who love their little puppy dog like a member of the family, but we just weren't raised that way.

Ric, did you ask the other Horsemen or Ricky "the Dragon Steamboat" for advice?

Randy, thanks for the info. My wife called Dr. Matt's office yesterday and set up an appointment. She spoke with Patricia and said she was extremely helpful and nice.

I really appreciate all of the help. We're hoping that they will be able to perform the tightrope procedure.

Aggie-Archer - thanks for the advice about Credit Care. Looks like we're going to be able to get 6 months of 0%.



[This message has been edited by Ric Flair (edited 6/29/2010 2:27p).]

It's great that the last few dog posts have ended well.

Good job Tine board!

http://www.dockdogs.com/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=285&extmode=view&extid=1106

UPDATE: We met with Dr. Matt and he said that he would be able to perform the tight rope surgery on our dog's knee (her back right knee). We scheduled the surgery for last Thursday, July 8.

On Wednesday, July 7, she went outside to go to the bathroom and collapsed on the back patio. She tried to stand up, but couldn't put any weight on either back leg. I took her in for her surgery on Thursday and Dr. Matt checked out her back left leg.... turns out she tore the ACL in that knee too.

He sat with me for about 30 minutes as we discussed possible solutions. He had never done two tight rope surgeries at one time, but thought that it might be the best solution. We decided to go ahead and do both.

The surgeries went great, and our dog has been home recovering since Friday. She is walking around a little, and seems to be doing great. Dr. Matt did a terrific job!



[This message has been edited by Ric Flair (edited 7/12/2010 3:22p).]

I love a happy ending.

oh, yikes, I was expecting a sad ending after the OP's last post until I got to the last line

I HATE Gulf Coast. JMHO.

Great to hear!

awesome news

im glad i carry insurance on my dog for things like this. i'd be ripped in half if i had to choose not to do a pricey surgery to save his life.

What? Serioulsy going to pay to fix the ACL? My pit tore both back knees...same deal 2500 - 5000 for the repair OR he can scar up a little and not run as fast / jump as high. Dog has been living 4 yrs with that and dosen't limp / shows no sign of having any problems. He now spends most days on a boat (fishing boat captains dog) or cruising the keys in the front of the pick up truck. He has a great life.

Hmmm maybe the pit was some type of super dog...he's about 75lbs and is fine now

Like I said, he is an awesome surgeon. She will do great!

Randy,

My wife just found out her cat has a knee cap that is coming out of place, patella luxation. She wants to get it fixed because she thinks the cat is in pain but the vet (Bay Area Vet Specialists) she went to quoted her $1600 for surgery. Is this what I should expect to pay? Also, will the surgery likely take care of the limp and pain?

Edit: The wife called Beechnut and they are quoting her $1K. God bless Texags.


[This message has been edited by Revival03 (edited 8/9/2010 10:54a).]

[This message has been edited by Revival03 (edited 8/9/2010 11:06a).]

Revival...

The surgery will definitely help. It most likely won't make her completely normal, but it should be close.

Patellar luxation is not as common in cats, so I haven't seen near as many cases as I have in dogs, so I can't give you the percentages.

Ric Flair...how is your dog doing so far?

Dr. Greg Matt at Beechnut will treat you right and do a good job.

[This message has been edited by RandyAg98 (edited 8/9/2010 1:06p).]

Ric...update?

ttt