Harley's ACL Injury

Harley is a healthy almost 4 year old English Mastiff, weighing in at a sleek 172lbs.


The end of September, 2008 she started limping noticeably on her back left leg. I gave it a few weeks of rest, treating conservatively. By the middle of October, there was no noticeable different.


On 10/16 I took her to my vet whom I love. Dr. Worth did a full exam on her, but again treated conservatively (due to other expenses). We poked, prodded, moved everything on her leg and she showed no pain. We tested her knee for any instability looking for the drawer sign and using the tibial thrust method....knee seemed fine. When we messed with her toes, we got some "flinching", so the diagnosis was maybe a stubbed or fractured toe.....give it a few weeks of rest and she should be fine.


Well, another few weeks goes by, and she doesn't get any better. Her limp is more pronounced. I take her back to the vet on 11/13 and we put her under a light sedation to do xrays. Her hips were beautiful, spine great, no fractures or broken bones anywhere. She also manipulated her knee again while she was under, in case maybe Harley was over compensating while she was awake....again, knee seemed stable. Diagnosis, possible soft tissue injury of unknown origin...Deramaxx and rest and see what happens.

On Saturday, 11/29 Harley was out in the yard. She has not been allowed to run or rough-house as I was just trying to rest her and hope that whatever was wrong with her would heal. Well, whatever she did that afternoon, she did well. She was in the yard hanging out with Koda and Ellie (foster puppy) and must have decided to run....all I know is I heard the most horrible screams coming from my baby. From that point on, she could bear NO weight on that leg.

I took her back to the vet on Monday, 12/1. Dr. Worth could still not get a positive drawer sign....but she did finally get a positive tibial thrust on her. Our best guess is that she most likely has a minimal partial tear and whatever she did that Saturday, she tore it completely. Dr. Worth is a small woman, where Harley probably out weighs here by 50+lbs....and has smaller hands....so she said maybe she just couldn't get a good drawer sign off of her.

I was referred to a certified surgeon in Pensacola, FL at the Pensacola Emergency and Referral center http://www.vetemergencycenter.com/ Dr. Goett is the only surgeon in my area that does the TPLO.

We saw Dr. Goett on Thursday 12/4 and he immediately got a positive drawer sign for her ACL tear. He spent a good 30-45 minutes with Harley and I and answered all of my questions (and I came with TONS. I then scheduled her surgery with a heavy heart for Monday, 12/15.

My shopping list:
Extra Pet Beds
Blankets -I bought some cheap ones at walmart
Area Rugs bought one for under her xpen in the DR and the moved it to the Living room. Walmart, 20bucks!
X-Pens-I already had two from when my guys were babies.
Kongs
Marrow Bones
Bully Sticks
Baby Food (watch out for the foods with onion powder!)
Chicken
Rice
Ensure
Turkey Baster
Digital Thermometer to monitor temp for infection
4X4 Sterile Guaze
Saline
Belly Band Strap Thing for support or a towel
Towels
Quality canned dog food
Ice/heat packs
Canned pumpkin (plain)