TPLO, also known as Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, is a surgical procedure in which the head of the tibia is surgically altered and plated to create a new joint angle.
A new angle is created in the stifle to prevent the femur from sliding off of the tibia.
Understanding TPLO
Dogs require the TPLO surgery due to cruciate ligament injuries; hands down the most common orthopedic injuries in dogs today. There are several factors why this is an unfortunate reality for many dogs. Especially dogs here in Montana where we have so many activities people and their dogs enjoy together.
Some of the more common reasons dogs rupture their ACL are:
- Overweight: Believe it or not, at least 75% of dogs are considered overweight. Unfortunately most pet owners have a misconception on what the ideal body weight of their dog should be. Make sure you ask your us what your dogs’ ideal weight should be. Additional weight puts additional stress on joint and the rest of the bodies’ organs.
- Lack of Exercise: Due to the stresses placed on us in modern day society many pets do not get the necessary exercise that they require. There just does not seem to be enough time to exercise and spend quality exercise with our dogs. Much of the time, while we are working they are being “couch potatoes”. Remember that most dogs are really athletes and therefore require and tolerate a lot of exercise. This exercise keeps their bodies lean, flexible and strong.
- Week-end Warrior Syndrome: Since we work all week, most of the time the only chance we have to exercise our dogs is on the weekend. As stated above this lack of everyday conditioning makes our dogs vulnerable to injury when they try to overdo it on the weekend.
- Angle of the Joint: Rarely do people think about how their dog actually walks on their knees. This joint is always at an angle and therefore the ACL always has weight on it (otherwise referred to as load bearing). Therefore there is constant stress placed on this ligament which again makes it vulnerable to injury.
The most common way that dogs injure the cruciate ligament is via a hyperextension injury. The typical story is….he was running after a squirrel or chasing a ball or playing hard with other dogs and then yelped and started limping.
As stated before of all the orthopedic injuries in dogs the cranial cruciate ligament rupture is by far the most common and the TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) surgery has become one of the most popular repairs for this injury.
Though there is no breed predisposition, it is definitely more common for larger dogs to get this injury.
Dr. Hardaway has done hundreds of TPLO surgeries on large and small dogs, making him a leading practitioner in Montana.
Along with our skilled associate veterinarian surgeons, our existing clients and clients from around the country have come to depend on the advanced orthopedic skills of Dr. Gordon Hardaway.
Dr. Hardaway is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Montana Veterinary Medical Association and was the driving force behind the establishment of the first emergency hospital for animals in the Gallatin Valley (PETS).
A graduate of the University of Florida Veterinary Medical School, Dr. Hardaway has been a leading the push towards advanced orthopedic procedures in the Gallatin Valley, receiving advance training on many of the procedures he routinely performs. Orthopedic surgery on shoulders, elbows, and knees and several orthopedic procedures including the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), femoral head osteotomy (FHO), ACL and Spinal Surgery.
Dr. Hardaway does many different soft tissue surgeries including thoracotomies, abdominal exploratory, bilaterial luxating patella, laryngeal paralysis, limb amputation, anal saculetomy and many other types of soft tissue procedures.
Along with Dr. Hardaway’s skilled expertise in surgery, our hospital maintains the largest staff of Certified Veterinary Technicians in the Gallatin Valley. You can be sure that your pet is in qualified hands from start to finish.
Please call us at (406) 388-8387 and we can discuss the next steps to initiating a successful referral.
As the winter weather parades towards us, here are a few tips for you to help your pets survive the winter and be comfortable all winter long.
- Always provide fresh, clean water for your pet. If the weather is cold, please check their water for ice formation and remove the ice. Or get a heated bucket.
- Outdoor pets should have dry shelter out of the wind. Bring cats and dogs into the house if the weather conditions are rainy , snowy or weather conditions are super cold.
- Staying warm requires extra calories, pets may need more food or a change in diet. Talk to us!
- Ice, snow and mud-Remove ice, salt, mud, snow from your pets coats, feet as soon as possible. If the skin looks reddish, white or grey in cold weather, may be scaly or peeling, suspect frostbite if the weather has been really cold. For dogs that are out in the snow and ice for long periods of time, you might consider getting boots for them, they can be purchased online or at Petco. Hazard Warnings!
- Cats and kittens like to nap on warm places, this can include car engines! Knock on the hood of your car or truck or honk the horn, then wait a few minutes before starting the engine. If in doubt, open the hood and look.
- Antifreeze smells good and tastes very sweet, Very small amounts can kill your pet. If a cat walks through in and then licks its paws, it will get enough. The damage is done but chemicals crystallizing in the kidney, so symptoms may not show up for a few days and then it may be too late. Thoroughly clean up any spills, store antifreeze in tightly closed containers and store where pets and children can’t get to them. Sierra make a non toxic antifreeze. Do not dispose of antifreeze by pouring into the gutter and never let your pet drink from the gutters.
