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Rehabilitation for Dogs with

Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Denis J. Marcellin-Littleand Courtney J. Arnoldy

Introduction

Physical rehabilitation is routinely incorporated
into a plan for the care of dogs with cru-
ciate ligament rupture (CR). Rehabilitation is
often performed during the early postopera-
tive period after surgical stabilization, but is
also part of the conservative management of
dogs where surgery is not performed, or part
of the long-term management of dogs that fail
to thrive after surgery. The aim of this chapter
is to review rehabilitation goals and treatment
options for dogs with CR, to review the scien-
tific evidence supporting rehabilitation, and to
discuss the selection of rehabilitation plans for
specific patients.

The goals of rehabilitation for dogs

with cruciate ligament rupture

The goals of rehabilitation for dogs recovering
from surgery to stabilize stifle joints with
CR include providing pain relief throughout
recovery, eliminating postoperative edema,
maintaining or recovering stifle joint motion,
promoting controlled limb use, preventing and
recovering from a loss of muscle mass and
from changes in posture resulting from chronic

pain and limb disuse, preventing abnormal

movement strategies, and preventing mechan-

ical complications after surgery. The goals of

rehabilitation in dogs with CR before surgery

and in dogs with CR that are managed without

surgery are similar to the goals listed above,

with emphasis on providing pain management,

promoting controlled limb use, preventing

abnormal movement strategies, preventing and

recovering from a loss of muscle mass, and

from changes in posture resulting from chronic

pain and limb disuse. Re-evaluations during

recovery are used to monitor progress towards

rehabilitation goals and adjust rehabilitation

priorities.

Pain relief

Little is known about the pain resulting from

CR in dogs. While all agree that dogs with CR

experience pain, there is no specific informa-

tion regarding the neuropathology associated

with cruciate ligament fiber damage or rupture.

In dogs with hip dysplasia, cyclooxygenase-1

(COX-1), COX-2, and lipooxygenase concentra-

tions in the femoral head are increased, as is

the concentration of COX-2 in the hip joint cap-

sule (Lascelleset al. 2009). Similar assessment in

Advances in the Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament, Second Edition. Edited by Peter Muir. © 2018 ACVS Foundation.
This Work is a co-publication between the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Foundation and Wiley-Blackwell.

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