My dog has a ccl tear... What is that?

Let's start by explaining what the CCL is...

CCL tears are likely the most common orthopedic condition dogs face. However, most dog owners don't even know what the CCL is... 

Today's blog is simply to help dog owners understand what a CCL is in order to understand what a CCL tear implies. 

​CCL stands for Cranial Cruciate Ligament, and it's the equivalent of an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in humans. 

The CCL has a crucial role in providing stability to the knee joint (called stifle in dogs). It prevents the lower leg bone (tibia) from traveling too far forward in relation to the upper leg bone (femur). There is a natural and normal amount of forward glide of the tibia onto the femur during knee movement; the CCL is there to prevent the tibia from going too far forward.

While older dogs and some breeds, such as Newfoundlands and Rottweilers, are at much higher risk of a CCL tear, any dog of any size, breed, and age could suffer an injury to their CCL.

CCL tears can be gradual and occur without apparent reason or sudden and trauma induced.

​A CCL tear could be due to slow wearing down of the ligament,  happening overtime, gradually, and fully rupturing when it may seem like the dog wasn't doing anything to warrant the tear. However, there are instances where trauma and high forces traveling through the limb may be too great for even a healthy CCL to sustain and a rupture occurs. In these cases, the mechanism of injury is usually obvious (if witnessed) & the dog shows very obvious signs of a tear.

CCL tears lead to knee (stifle) instability and ultimately speed up the arthritic process in the affected joint. Dogs with untreated CCL tears are affected & limited by pain, arthritis, swelling, and difficulty doing all the things a dog should be able to do to live happy and healthy. 

Research shows that physical rehabilitation is very successful in the management of CCL tears. If you suspect your dog has a CCL tear or have a confirm medical diagnosis, we can help you & your dog return to the activities you both love, thus improving your dog's quality of life.

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