Veterinary Orthopedics (Bones, Joints, and Muscles)
Veterinary orthopedics is a field of veterinary medicine involving the diagnosis, treatment, and management of conditions related to bones, joints, and muscles. Chronic conditions and acute damage are a common cause when your pet experiences discomfort, immobility, and decline in quality of life. Modern advances in veterinary medicine have provided a wide range of treatment and management options to help conserve or improve your companion's movement following accidents, illness, or age-related degeneration. Pain-reduction techniques, surgical procedures like TPLO surgery, and assistive devices are often available at our orthopedic specialty hospitals to help improve your pet's overall quality of life.
Common Orthopedic Conditions in Pets
Depending on a pet's species, size, age, and breed, the types of orthopedic conditions developed can vary significantly. The following conditions are common to dogs and cats, however, our orthopedic teams are able to treat many other conditions as well.
Arthritis (degenerative joint disease)
Broken bones / injury
Ligament tears (cruciate ligaments, collateral ligaments, and others)
Hip dysplasia
Slipped spinal disc
Dislocated kneecaps
Luxation / dislocated joints
Limb deformities or loss
Growing pains (Panosteitis)
Knowing the root cause of your pet's orthopedic problem is essential in forming an effective treatment plan, assisting with recovery, and helping you prevent or manage a chronic condition. Sometimes the cause of orthopedic conditions in pets is clear (e.g. a car accident), but in other cases, advanced imaging and other diagnostic tests may be necessary. Potential diagnostics may include physical exams, X-rays, CT scan, ultrasound, joint fluid analysis, blood work, and / or biopsies.
Treatment for Common Orthopedic Conditions in Pets
Depending on your pet's diagnosis, their treatment options will vary significantly. Advancements in veterinary orthopedic medicine, the quality and range of procedures, assistive devices, and pain-reduction techniques are providing pets with orthopedic conditions a much higher quality of life than ever before. Treatments for common orthopedic conditions, such as arthritic management, are often available through our primary care veterinarians. Pets with more complex or advanced orthopedic conditions should be referred to an advanced orthopedic veterinarian or veterinary orthopedic surgeon who has the knowledge and resources to provide extensive treatment like:
Tendon and fracture repair (sometimes surgically, depending on the case)
Joint injections to relieve pain and inflammation
Use of orthopedic devices (e.g. braces, slings, prosthetics)
Bone graft surgery
Mass removal
Joint or total hip replacements
Amputations
CrCL Surgery (Cranial Cruciate Ligament)
A common form of cruciate or knee surgery is TPLO surgery. Your pet’s orthopedic veterinarian will be able to help decide which type of CrCL surgery is ideal for your pet. It's important to note that these surgeries are commonly referred to by pet owners as ACL surgery, however CrCL surgery is the medically accurate term. ACL surgery is the human equivalent treatment.
TPLO Surgery (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy)
TPLO surgery changes the angle between the thigh bone and the shin bone. The goal is to lessen how much the tibia shifts forward during a stride and it is achieved through an incision, rotation of the tibia, and then insertion of a bone plate. TPLO surgery helps create a stifle (knee) that is stable without the torn cruciate ligament. The medial meniscus is also evaluated at the time of surgery and if torn removed. At times, a releasing incision of the meniscus is done to help prevent a future tear.
