Introduction
Any sports fan knows that a diagnosis of an ACL injury is not good news at all. But many may not realize that dogs are extremely susceptible to this injury as well. In fact, it is the most common knee injury in dogs, and it is a difficult injury to overcome.
Preventing ACL Injuries in Dogs
Unfortunately, there isn’t a pill or special dog treat that can take the threat of an ACL injury away. As in humans, the knee joint in dogs is extremely vulnerable because there are no interlocking bones in the joint. Instead, the knee depends on ligaments for stability. The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is where most knee injuries occur when the ligament tears.
Conditioning is Key
The one area that owners should focus on is their dog’s conditioning. The dogs most at risk for this injury are those with poor conditioning or even suffering from obesity. Dogs with appropriately strong muscles near the knee joint are better suited to avoid possible ACL tears.
Well-conditioned dogs have their knee ligaments protected from any outside stress by these powerful muscles. Dog owners should keep their dogs on a healthy diet and give them regular exercise.
One other possible pitfall that leads to ACL problems comes when a dog that’s been relatively inactive is exposed to intense physical activity. Just like any athlete, a dog needs time to strengthen his muscles before returning to an exercise regimen. So owners who are anxious to get their pet moving after a long winter should be careful during the spring months not to overdo it.
Since an ACL tear can be caused by a sudden stress on the ligament, the route for the daily walk and any outdoor area that a dog frequents should be well-scouted by an owner to be sure it’s free of any unsure footing or possible injury-causing obstacles. These precautionary measures can help keep away this painful problem.