Successful ligament surgery performed at Animal Trust Ellesmere Port
Cruciate disease is a common condition that causes a dog’s ligaments to fray or fracture. At Animal Trust, we treated over 200 cases in 2018.
The most recent case is that of Nala, a 4-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, whose owner, Stephanie Carney, from Liverpool, brought her in after noticing Nala was limping after a walk.
James Portsmouth, a vet at Animal Trust Ellesmere Port examined Nala and performed a TTA surgery to repair the ruptured ligament. James, who has a particular interest in surgery said; ‘’Cruciate disease isn’t uncommon, and if left untreated it can cause dogs to develop other progressive conditions. In most cases, surgery is the best option and 90% of dogs will make a full recovery. “I’m so pleased to see how well Nala is doing and that she is back to her regular walks and activities.’’
Cruciate disease sees a dogs ligament degenerate over a period of time, eventually ending in rupture – often after the dog has been active. It usually impacts dogs over the age of one, and while all breeds can be affected, labradors, boxers and German shepherds are likely to get it more frequently.
We are urging owners to look out for significant signs, which include; decreased activity levels, sudden limping, sitting with their back legs at an odd angle, and have difficulty getting up or jumping into a car. James adds; ‘’In many cases, we can diagnose a rupture in a free consultation, for both for our own clients and those who would usually visit another vet. The sooner a pet is treated the better the outcome is likely to be.’’
Nala’s owner, Stephanie says; ‘’The service we received from Animal Trust was fantastic and I’m so thankful to the whole team for looking after Nala. She has recovered fantastically well and we’re enjoying our long walks again.’’