WHAT TO EXPECT WITH TTA SURGERY RECOVERY ( Bilateral)

By Bosquebay

TTA Surgery X-Ray

TTA Surgery X-Ray

The benefits of the newest TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) repair surgeries, is the length of time required before your dog can return to a normal life with exercise without restrictions. Because the Ostoeotomy (cutting of the bone) in the Tibial Tuberosity advancement procedure is done in a non weight bearing area of the knee(s), dogs are able to return to normal activities more quickly than they would be able to after undergoing a TPLO or the traditional (extracapsular imbrication) surgery. Most TTA patients begin weight bearing during walking within the first 24 to 48 hours after completion of the surgical procedure. The healing process will take 8 to 12 weeks. I will go over what to expect and how to prepare for your dog’s return home. We had the TTA surgery performed on our girl, but what made her surgery different is she had to have a bilateral. That’s right both knees went. A week before surgery we had a sling so we could get her outside to relieve herself.


COST:

The cost for TTA surgery will vary, but it will range anywhere between $2,400- $5,500.00. Depending on if your dog is having a single or a bilateral. With bilateral surgery the hospital stay is usually two days. This cost does not include the Physical therapy after surgery which I highly recommend. Physical Therapy can range anywhere between $300.00-$500.00 dollars depending on the individual dog. I will tell you doing the Physical Therapy exercise’s at home can be time consuming but also entertaining. It’s very important to follow through on all exercises, plus it helps with your pet’s boredom which can occur while being confined. Seeing your dog’s progress is well worth it.

FOOD INTAKE:

One really important step of TTA surgery recovery is the food intake of your pet after surgery. It is recommended to cut their meals by 1/3. It is especially important to keep your pet’s weight down during this time of healing. It’s not only optimal for recovery but for overall health. Plus the fact they’re not able to do their normal activities, being confined will promote weight gain.

TTA Surgery

By Bosquebay

The most common knee injury in the dog is rupture of the Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL), also frequently called the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). This injury can occur at any age and in any breed, but most frequently occurs in middle aged, overweight, medium to large breed dogs. Our BJ is a Husky X but was never really overweight but loved to do circles. The rupture of this ligament leads to instability of the knee which leads to the development of painful arthritis. These ruptures can happen immediately or can start with a partial tear. BJ had bilateral surgery which make this even more interesting.
An injured Cruciate Ligament can only be corrected by surgery. There are several surgical options available. The one we choose was the TTA ( Tibial Tuberosity Advancement). The TTA may be the best repair currently available.
The forces within the knee are very complicated and change as the knee is rotated through its range of motion. In a normal standing position there is a tendency for the lower end of the Femur to slide backwards on the tilted Tibial Plateau, or by advancing the Tibial Tuberosity (TTA) therefore changing the angle of pull of the Patellar Tendon.
The TTA procedure is considered to be less invasive because its cut is on a non-weight bearing area of the Tibia. That cut is then stabilized by the use of the more biologically friendly Titanium implants. The TTA procedure may not be right for every dog, but it does seem to make the leg more stabile, particularly with respect to rotation of the joint, known as Pivot Shift.
If you notice that your dog is limping, a trip to your veterinarian and a full workup on the leg is warranted. BJ started with a limp, found out she had a partial tear. About a month later she started using both back legs to hop. Unless you go to a specialist most vets will interpret this as a back problem, since they don’t see bilateral too often. It has been shown that even a partial tear of the Cruciate Ligament can lead to instability and then to a complete rupture. The choice of surgical procedures can then be discussed with your veterinarian, once a diagnosis is made.
Next I’ll do a series of recovery and therapy of the TTA surgery.