Jérôme Auger, DVM, MSc, Dipl. ACVS oversees veterinary surgery at Centre Vétérinaire Rive-Sud (South Shore Veterinary Center) in Brossard, Quebec. He and his team work hard to ensure that every animal in their care receives the best possible treatment for their unique situation, and he recently had a very special patient who needed his help.
Dr. Auger’s two-year-old Gordon Setter, Oakley, experienced bilateral partial CCL tears this spring, meaning the ligament that helps stabilize the knee was damaged in both of her hind legs. Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears are common in dogs of Oakley’s size and left her unable to run and play like she normally would without pain or limping.
Dr. Auger decided to treat Oakley by performing a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) in each leg. This procedure aims to decrease the steep tibial plateau angle (images A and B), lessening the strain on the ligament. Traditional TPLO techniques seek to neutralize sagittal instability, but they don’t account for internal-external rotation, which might be a significant problem in some dogs.
The Arthrex TPLO InternalBrace™ augmentation technique is the first procedure that neutralizes rotational instability in combination with an osteotomy. The TPLO locking plate uses laser-line assistance to help ensure proper placement of the implants and uses InternalBrace ligament augmentation to protect the joint from unwanted internal-external rotation.
“The fact that Dr. Auger treated Oakley with the Arthrex TPLO locking plate system is a true testament to how much he believes in it,” said Brock Nordman, National Sales Manager of Arthrex Vet Systems distributor TribeVet.
Dr. Auger said that Oakley’s surgery went very smoothly and the plates fit her anatomy perfectly with no need for contouring.
“She’s doing great, overall,” said Dr. Auger shortly after Oakley’s surgery. She was back to running without any sign of injury just a few weeks after the procedure.
If your pet shows pain by limping, holding its leg up, or decreasing normal activity levels, you may want to ask your vet about the Arthrex tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. Learn more about Arthrex Vet Systems’ innovative products and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to see more pet stories.
