What causes tears and ruptures of a dog’s CCL or ACL?
One of the first things to know about a dog tearing or rupturing its CCL, also known as ACL, is that this injury likely stems from weakness of ligament fibers.
I know you’re asking, what causes weakness of CCL ligament fibers? While there are many answers, several factors should be considered when attempting to understand or diagnose how your lovable four-legged family member sustained a CCL/ACL tear or rupture.
There is much back and forth banter about the causes of dog CCL or ACL tears and ruptures, although most incidents fall into one of the following categories:
- Imbalance of hormones
- Bad genetics in breeding
- Specific inflammation of the joint
- Obesity and bad diet
- Over exertion physically
- Lack of daily exercise and consistent physical activity
- Overcompensating due to hip dysplasia or similar ailments
- Maimed in vehicle accident or similar
The most obvious factor in the aforementioned list trending upwards are the number of obese dogs or simply dogs with a bad diet and lack of exercise. Obesity, bad diet, and consistent exercise are controllable factors to reduce the risk of your lovable mate not ever having to under TPLO surgery.
Another somewhat controllable factor is being selective in which breed of dog you own. Many believe genetic factors in certain breeds of dog, like in Labradors, Boxers, and Rottweilers, to name a few, are more likely to undergo TPLO surgery at above average rates in comparison to breeds less likely.