Veterinary Orthopaedic Surgery

Here at Allpets we have full surgical and diagnostic imaging facilities. This allows us to perform a wide range of orthopaedic surgeries. Our vets Colin Healy and Sean Murphy who have undergone further training in orthopaedic surgery normally perform these surgeries.

These are some of the more common procedures that we perform on a regular basis:

Fracture repair
Treatment of Cruciate Ligament Disease
Treatment of luxating patella
Hip Surgery

Fracture Repair

If your pet has a possible fractured bone the first step is to stabilise them and take x-rays of the bone. We can then plan the best treatment for your pet, which will ensure the best chance of a full recovery and fewest complications. We use a variety of methods for fracture repair including plates, screws, pins and external fixation systems. A personalised rehabilitation program is then organised for your pet on discharge from the hospital.

Cruciate Ligament Disease

Rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) is the most common orthopaedic condition found in dogs. It is similar to the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in people. The cruciate ligament’s role is to stabilise the knee joint. Unlike people where it is normally a traumatic injury the majority of ruptures in dogs are caused by degeneration and genetic factors. Dogs usually present with lameness and pain of one of their hind legs. Diagnosis is made by x-rays and a full orthopaedic examination under sedation. Once a diagnosis has been made we will explain all the available procedures and make a recommendation best suited to your pet. There are numerous surgical procedures available including lateral suture, tightrope technique, TPLO, TTO, TTA and MMP.

$fracture repair$

At Allpets we perform the MMP (Modified Maquet Procedure) surgery as the ideal surgical treatment for cruciate ligament disease. The surgery involves cutting and advancing the tibial crest in order to stabilise the knee joint. A titanium wedge implant is then inserted to secure the tibial crest. The MMP is one of least invasive procedures which results in less pain and discomfort after the surgery and a much quicker recovery. Many of our patients will be comfortable enough to start walking on the leg when they go home the following day.

View our video of a patient walking 3 days after surgery. This video explains how the procedure is performed. We also perform the lateral suture technique for smaller dogs and where cost are an issue. The knee joint is stabilised using a synthetic ligament. This procedure isn’t as robust as the MMP surgery and there is usually a longer recovery period. 6-8 weeks of rest and recovery is required for a successful recovery from both procedures.

Luxating Patella

cruciate ligament disease Luxating patella is often referred to as a dislocating kneecap and often affects small to medium breeds of dogs. Again the condition can be diagnosed after x-rays and a full orthopaedic examination under sedation. A number of factors can lead to the development of this condition with most of them having a genetic component. After the diagnosis has been made we will explain the available procedures and make the recommendation best for your pet.

Surgeries performed include wedge trochleoplasty, tibial crest transposition, medial retinaculum desmotomy and imbrication of lateral retinaculum. We also perform a recently developed procedure called Ridgestop, which involves inserting an implant to prevent the kneecap from dislocating – this is minimally invasive and gives excellent post op prognosis with minimal post op joint changes.