How do you know if your dog has torn their CCL?

Some of the signs & symptoms of a CCL tear may be one sided or happen on both sides at the same time; they include:

• Limping or reluctance to use one or both hind legs
• Limping or avoiding putting weight through the affected hind limb
• Lameness or weakness in the back leg(s)
• Limping that worsens with exercise and often improves with rest
• Abnormal posture, especially over the back and hip areas
• Reluctance to get up, jump, walk, run or go up and down stairs
• Stiffness and difficulty getting up in morning or after a prolonged period of rest. 
• Sitting at an odd angle, with the affected hind leg slanted outward, off to one side
• Swelling around the knee joint, usually in the front
• Muscular atrophy in the affected limb
• Difficulty with common transitions such as sit to/from stand, down to/from stand

If you observe the above signs in your dog, it is advisable to have them be evaluated by a veterinarian or a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. Rehabilitation therapists and veterinarians use specific manual special testing to determine if the CCL has torn completely, partially, or at all. 

Depending on many different factors (another blog to come about this) surgery may or may not be advised. 

Whether you and your veterinarian go the surgical or the conservative route, canine physical rehabilitation has been proven extremely beneficial in the full recovery of dogs with CCL tears.

If your dog has any difficulty standing, walking, running or playing, physical rehabilitation could be the key to their return to full function and improved quality of life. A Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist can help you improve your dog’s quality of life through education, manual therapy, and properly graded exercises specific to your dog’s condition.

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