Spay/Neuter and ACL Injury Correlation???

[seaherons]

Spaying and neutering can be done to prevent health problems - tumors, etc.  however there is a correlation to ACL injuries in spayed females. We did not know this when we had Cirra spayed at nine months. She did have an ACL injury which we are treating using conservative management and not the TPLO.  Our vet did not inform us of this correlation when asked several times about any reason we should not have the surgery. What has everyone's experience been with this issue?  Are your vet's providing this information?  Vet's immediately recommending the invasive TPLO for any level of ACL injury?  Are any willing to consider conservative management especially in younger dogs who have not finished growing?  Spay/neuter at all?  If so, at what age?  Differences between males and females?  Any ideas, comments, experiences, suggestions???  Just curious.

[navarre1316]

OK, maybe I'm having a blonde moment but anatomically how does a spay/neutering effect the ACL?? 

I personally don't think, aside from an accident, that any invasive surgery to joints needs to be done until after growing.  My GSD was constantly lame on his front legs and after about 1 1/2 he never had a problem with his front legs again.  If they continue to grow after the surgery there may be the possibility of another surgery needed.  Again, just my opinion

[seaherons]

Here is an article regarding considerations for spaying/neutering.  Any opinions???

http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

[mjjensen]

  I'm not sure who you use for a vet but I didn't have very good luck with vets on the island or in Ellsworth. The people without exception were wonderful but there were several times with Sam and Max that they missed things that the vet I found in Falmouth picked up on immediately. It could be that in your case the vet may have never heard of any correlation between ACL and spay/neutering. There are so few vets in that area and so many pets that I wonder if these doctors have the time to stay current with what is going on in vet medicine. If I've learned anything from all I've been through with Sam and Max it's that second (and sometimes third and fouth) opinions are important especially if surgery is involved. And it doesn't hurt to research things yourself which it looks like you've been doing.
  I did hear very good things about a vet in Sullivan which is close to the island but I didn't get a chance to check out her practice before I moved.

[doggylover]

What exactly do you mean by 'conservative management'?  We have had one TPLO, and Badger is scheduled for the other rear leg for a severely torn ACL on Aug 18th.  Anything you can share would be appreciated.

[kathryn]

Kaila had a partial ACL tear when she was a puppy (about 8 months or so).  My vet told me about the options for two different surgeries and that I could take her to a specialist group because he wasn't comfortable doing the TPLO surgery.  I asked about surgery before she was done growing and after voicing my concerns about growth plates and surgery both he and I decided to go with the conservative maintenance plan.  We gave Kaila Rimadyl, kenneled her, and kept her quiet until the ACL healed.  He didn't mention a correlation between ACL tears and spaying but then again she was still intact when she had her tear so it didn't really matter. 

[doggylover]

Badger can't take rimadyl.  He pukes it up.  Do you know how bad the tear can be and still heal on it's own?  His tear is very severe.  How long is the dog crated for? 

[seaherons]

There is a canine conservative management Yahoo group that has resources in their links and file sections.  It is not the best approach for all injuries!!!  The information regarding canine rehab can also be beneficial to those who decide to have surgery.  We would not consider the surgery because of Cirra's level of impairment, the risks and Cirra had not finished growing.  There are considerations about spaying/neutering a dog before they have finished growing which we were not aware of prior to having Cirra spayed.  We did not plan on breeding her so we thought that having her spayed made sense even though we had some reservations.  We thought that it would be harder on her being a giant breed the larger she was. After her ACL injury we found information indicating that maybe we should have waited until she was fully grown.  Of course, Cirra could have injured her ACL regardless since she was a very active girl.  I was mostly wanting input from everyone regarding spaying/neutering in large breeds.  Routine spaying/neutering may not be so routine??? 

[kathryn]

Kaila was right around 1 year when she was spayed.  My vet never said anything about waiting until she was fully grown for spaying.  He would have spayed her whenever I requested it.  I just wanted to make sure that I got her done before her 1st heat cycle because I didn't want any accidents. 

Doggylover: 
My vet told me that he had a guy come in whose dog had completely torn the ACL and opted not to have any surgeries.  He said that the dog moved around just fine and didn't seem to have any adverse problems with it.  Kaila was kept on leash whenever we went outside so she couldn't run for about 4 weeks.  We would go back after 2 weeks and the vet would check the leg to see how she was doing.  She was also kept isolated from Cinder so that there wasn't any rough housing in the house so that the injury didnt' get worse.  She is kenneled in the house while I am at work.  We also added glucosmine and chondroitin into the diet.  She was actually under close supervision for about 8 weeks because this is the same time that she was diagnosed with panosteitis.  Sorry this is so long but I hope it helps.