Expert: Silva Mirovics - 6/27/2008

Question
My 30 lb. dog strained his cruciate ligament (as diagnosed by a vet).  He, of course, advised surgery which I cannot afford.  My dog is not in pain, he can use his leg, but it is shakey after using it.  I am waiting 8 weeks to see if it gets better.  I have read that many vets just automatically advise surgery because it is a big money-maker and I've been a vet surgical assistant in the past and know how extensive the surgery is and don't know if I want to put my dog through that.  He is 9 years old.  Can I wrap his leg and keep him quiet until there is some stabilization to the leg?  I have done a lot of research and find that people have let it heal naturally and the dog just had a slight limp.

Answer
Hi Diane
I am not a vet, nor a vet nurse, so don't want to comment on wrapping the leg.  I will leave this to your own discretion and research.  Surgery is a huge step, especially for an older dog.  If he is pain free and has mobility then you may want to consider other options.  Massage and acupuncture are both really good.  You should be able to find such therapists in your area.  Also, make sure he is getting a really good diet and add some good quality supplements that work well on joints.  There are many available these days online.  You may also want to contact Robert McDowell who is an animal herbalist and he can recommend a blend to help your fellow along - www.herbal-treatments.com

I hope this helps,
Silva.
www.roxysworld.com.au