VETERINARY SERVICES
Pet TPLO Procedures
Allphin Veterinary Clinic offers Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) procedures here at our location in Branson West.
Pet TPLO Procedures in Branson West
A cranial cruciate ligament or CCL tear is a common knee injury in dogs. Similar to the ACL in humans, when a dog suffers a CCL tear, the injury causes pain and most pets are unable to walk normally. If left untreated, the result is further joint damage, pain, and osteoarthritis.
The most significant advancement in the treatment of CCL tears has been the Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy surgery or TPLO. TPLO has proven to be superior to other methods of surgical repair for CCL injuries especially in large or very active dogs. In the majority of canine CCL injuries, TPLO is the ideal treatment with minimal complications and a relatively quick return to comfortable, full activity. Almost all dogs undergoing TPLO can safely and comfortably return home on the day of or the day after surgery and are able to walk within that time frame.
Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy helps restore joint biomechanics by altering the joint’s ”sliding motion”. The downward, backward sliding motion of the femur, or the “thigh bone,” is eliminated following surgery resulting in joint stability.
- At 2 weeks postoperatively, most patients are able to bear moderate, if not all, weight.
- By 8 weeks most dogs will no longer limp.
- Most patients can return to normal activity within 3 or 4 months.
- It is important during the recovery period to give all medications and restrict activity as directed.
- The most important thing to do at home during recovery is to keep your pet from licking the incision to minimize risk of infection. Use a cone!
Fracture Repair in Branson West
Fractures (broken bones) in pets are usually the result of trauma. They are commonly seen in the Hips, Radius/Ulna, Femur and Tibia/Fibula. Whether your pet was hit by a car or simply jumped out of your arms, accidents happen.
These fractures can be repaired in a few different ways:
- Splint and bandage- small, hair line fractures of the extremities may be able to be repaired using a splint and soft padded bandage. This usually entails weekly bandage changes and repeat x-rays in 4-8 weeks.
- Surgical repair with a Pin and Cerclage Wire- An IM Pin is placed through the bone and Cerclage Wire is used to hold the bone in place. In rare cases, these Pins may need to be removed after time.
- Surgical repair with a Plate and Screws- A surgical plate is screwed into the bone over the fracture to stabilize the bone.
- Surgical repair that includes all of the above!
After the surgery, the pet will normally stay overnight at the clinic so we can control its pain through injectables. The pet will go home the next day and return in two weeks for suture removal. Recheck x-rays are performed after 6-8 weeks and 10-12 weeks to track the healing process. At 6-8 weeks, we should see the bone repairing itself. Though it is rare, if the bone is not healing at the 6-8 week mark, it may need a surgical revision. At the 10-12 week recheck, the bone should be almost fully healed. Every pet is different, so some may take longer or shorter to heal depending on the severity of the fracture.
Your kind words
Such amazing staff. We were down this recent summer & our puppy broke her leg. Everyone was so caring and helped us through everything❤️
Recommend 100% Saved my Cats life with a Blood transfusion and amazing love & Care, fixed my stray dogs leg and he can now walk again!! Amazing staff! They genuinely care for you and your animals with all of their hearts!!!
This is the best Vet on this side of the Mississippi 🙂. We found a puppy on the highway with two broken legs. Dr Allphin placed steel plates in both legs and now Robby is the happiest dog in Harrison, AR. He was the only Vet in the area to handle this surgery with the steel plates. Robby plays and runs all day as if nothing ever happened.