Conservative Management of Canine Cruciate Injuries

Sponsored by Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences LLC

Although the gold standard for management of canine cruciate injuries is surgical intervention, some clients may decline in favor of more conservative management strategies. Do you know where to turn when surgery is off the table? Watch this quick video with Dr. Beth Molleson for some insights into alternatives, and see how you can earn 1 hour of CE credit on the topic.

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Transcript

For those of us in small animal practice, diagnosing cranial cruciate disease is an all-too-common event in daily clinic life. It’s the most common cause of hindlimb lameness in dogs and can be devastating for both the patient and the owner.

When I think back on what I learned about treating CCL tears in school, only one word comes to mind: surgery. It was the primary recommendation, with limited discussion about alternatives if surgery wasn’t an option. But, as we all know, there can be barriers to surgery, such as finances or comorbid orthopedic disease, just to name a few.

And the reality is, there are other therapies that can help patients, whether they’re standalone options or in conjunction with surgery. For example, novel orthotic devices are now available, various nutraceuticals can be used to target pain and inflammation, and newer modalities such as photobiomodulation can be used to improve healing. Not to mention physical therapy, which can be a potentially game-changing part of recovery. And I know I’m guilty of not always addressing one of the key components of managing orthopedic disease: and that’s patient weight.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a difference for these patients, even in cases where surgery isn’t an option, then we’ve got a webinar for you. Click the link to get access to this free, 1-hour CE session with sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Lisa Mason, sponsored by Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences LLC.

Watch the webinar on-demand here!