Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) Dr. Luaces performs all our orthopedic surgeries and has been trained in the repair of the cranial cruciate ligament found in the knee. This injury is the most common orthopedic injury in dogs and is very widespread in humans as well (known as the ACL tear in people). The doctor uses the extracapsular suture stabilization technique with bone anchor that has proved to be very successful. Symptoms of damage to the CCL include complete or partial hindlimb lameness that can wax and wane for weeks or months. The injury typically presents acutely or can present with a mild lameness that the patient recovers from but then re-injures later and becomes chronically lame. This can happen in any breed of dog and even in our feline companions, although at a much more rare rate. Please call for more information or to schedule a consultation.

Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) A surgical procedure that makes a change to the biomechanics of the knee to reduce pain and instability. During surgery, a curved cut will be made near the top of the tibia (shin bone). The top of the bone is then rotated to reduce the slope on the top of the tibia (this is where the “leveling” comes from). A stainless steel bone plate is held to the tibia with bone screws to secure the tibia in position while the bone heals. Please call for more information or to schedule a consultation.