Ali's Surgery

Our dog Ali recently underwent surgery after partially tearing her ACl. We opted to have the Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery done to repair her knee. The surgery is pretty difficult to explain, so here is an explanation from a veterinary website, which also has some diagrams. The natural shape of the knee is such that when weight is placed on it, shear forces and the slope of the angle causes the joint bones to slip. Normally, the ACL ligament counters these forces. The TPLO surgery is an operation in which the tibia is cut and the knee joint rotated so that the slope is leveled, thus negating the need for the ACL. The semi-circular cut is made in the tibia, the piece of bone is rotated, and then a plate and screws are used to re-attach the bone. It is pretty serious stuff! The x-rays shown are not Ali's, but her x-rays are very similar. Ali is about halfway through her rehabilitation, and she is doing quite well. She is able to go on short walks, but is not allowed to run yet. The rabbits in the neighborhood are enjoying their temporary freedom.