Piper was referred to VREC by her primary care veterinarian due to lameness in her back limbs. Her owners could not pinpoint a specific incident that caused the lameness but were worried that she had been limping for several weeks. After a consultation with our surgery staff, radiographs were taken and revealed she had ruptured her cranial cruciate ligament.
A dog’s cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is most commonly compared to a human’s ACL. It is a band of tissue that connects the bones of the knee joint and rupturing it creates an unstable, painful joint. CCL injuries are among the most common orthopedic injury in dogs. Once qualified for the Angel Fund, the surgery team performed a successful repair on Piper’s left CCL. She had an uneventful stay at VREC until deemed ready to go home.
Her family was beyond thankful for the ability to utilize the Angel Fund and was touched by the kindness shown to Piper during her treatment. We received a beautiful flower arrangement shortly after discharge with a note stating we are Piper’s angels!