The cranial cruciate ligament is a strong band of tissue located deep within the stifle joint (knee). This ligament is responsible for maintaining joint stability when your pet is standing, walking, or running. Tearing or “rupture” of the ligament causes joint instability, which leads to joint swelling, pain, and lameness. In dogs, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) will develop if this instability is not corrected. Rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament is one of the most common causes of hind limb lameness in dogs. Humans have a similar ligament in their knee, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Most humans tear their ACL during certain athletic maneuvers. Dogs rupture the cranial cruciate ligament either acutely (suddenly) or chronically (over time). Dogs with an acute rupture show no evidence of hind limb lameness or pain before the injury. They suddenly develop severe hind limb lameness, usually during strenuous activity. In contrast, dogs with a chronic rupture develop slow, progressive, hind limb lameness and reluctance to exercise that comes and goes over weeks to months. Once the cranial cruciate ligament is ruptured, there is an increased risk for damaging other support structures within the knee. One important supporting structure that is commonly damaged along with cranial cruciate ligamant rupture is the medial meniscus, a C-shaped piece of fibrocartilage that functions as a shock-absorber and allows the bones above and below the knee joint to interact more effectively. Damage to the medial meniscus is also very painful for the dog. Almost every case of cranial cruciate rupture requires surgical correction for proper limb function. As in humans, many procedures have been developed to stabilize the affected knee. None of these procedures is perfect, meaning that there is not 100% success in every case. The procedure performed here at the Haskell Valley Veterinary Clinic is the extracapsular lateral suture technique using Securos tension band for support. This technique is favored for many pets as it requires the least amount of surgical time. First the dog undergoes a series of x-rays to evaluate the damage in the knee and any other potential orthopedic problems ie. hip dysplasia. If surgery is warranted, the knee joint is then opened and inspected. The torn or partly torn cruciate ligament is removed. If the meniscus is torn, the damaged portion is removed. A special suture is passed around the fabella behind the knee and through a hole drilled in the front of the tibia. This tightens the joint and stabilizes the knee, effectively taking over the job of the cruciate ligament. After surgery, the pet is sent home with pain medications and must be kept kenneled to limit activity for several weeks. Owners are also instructed on physical therapy techniques to hasten recovery time.