The stifle joint (your dog’s knee) is a very important joint and one of the most frequently injured parts of the canine body. Specifically, the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) which is similar to the ACL in people, is one of the most commonly injured structures in dogs. When the CCL is ruptured (i.e., due to injuries, obesity or degenerative joint disease) the stifle joint is destabilized resulting lameness and osteoarthritis due to inflammation, pain, cartilage damage and meniscal injuries. Meniscal injuries in particular significantly compound lameness and progression of arthritis. Proper meniscal assessment is a crucial part of every stifle surgery.
Arthroscopy has been the standard of care in human surgery for years. Being a minimally invasive procedure, arthroscopy permits a much better view of the joint structures and results in a faster recovery with less pain and inflammation to the patient. Arthroscopy has been more widely recognized by the veterinary community as the standard of care for joint assessment and therapy in pets. However, due to the lengthy specialized training required and the equipment costs, arthroscopy is not offered by many veterinary facilities in Canada (and North America for that matter).
Arthroscopic probing of a meniscal tear in a stifle
Dr. Gillick has been performing arthroscopy since 2006. Since that time he has continued to develop his skills and has lectured and instructed at arthroscopy specific conferences and courses in both Canada and the US. He is proud to offer stifle arthroscopy as part of every CCL repair in his patients.
If your pet requires stifle surgery for a CCL tear, ask for arthroscopic options. Why compromise or settle for anything but the best standard of care for your pet?