5 stand wrote:The dog I had before Triggers mother was named Ann and she tore her cruciate ligament... I had it fixed at Oklahoma State University, TPLO surgery it worked great, but wasn't cheap...
She tore the other cruciate on her other leg a few years later and I tried the band, it only lasted about a year, she was a big dog weighed about 90 pounds... The band might work better on a 60 lb dog... Wishing you and Abby the best of luck on whatever decision you decide to do...
I had TPLO surgery on my dog. The vet was very good and very honest. As you note, it is not cheap. He assured me she would come out of it 100%, which she did. He also warned me that after you have one that there is a high probability that they will tear the other because they are favoring that while the first was injured. And like your dog, mine tore her other ACL. I did another TPLO, which worked great, but shortly after my dog developed some autoimmune problems. Her legs were 100%, but this autoimmune thing we never got under control and spent a third fortune and ultimately she got what was most likely cancer from the mix of the autoimmune problem and all the drugs to try and keep it under control.
We love our dogs and invest a lot in them. It's a hard decision, but based on my experience. If you do one TPLO, are you prepared to do a second? I was and I never regretted that. I just had no way to know that after I finally got her back into fighting shape and should have had years more of hard hunting, she'd get hit by a third thing that would hinder her for the last few years of her life.
Good luck. Hope it works out. The surgery really does get them back in full from my experience and everything I have heard. Mine and 5 stand sound like pretty much the same outcomes. Is it worth 2? Then get it done. If not, it's a tough decision, but nothing wrong with that decision either.