x-rays are measured & marked to prepare for surgery.
an epidural is placed the day of surgery.Here are a few photos of Dr. Rodier performing a TPLO surgery on Oliver. Tammy, one of our RVT's at Blue Springs Animal Hospital was his surgical nurse for this surgery.
Post op x-rays. ( Notice the plate)
Dr. Joe Rodier became certified in this fascinating procedure and has since performed it on many dogs with very successful results. There are many aspects to this surgery that require precise skills. Lots of measuring and calculating is required for this surgery along with skilled surgical hands and Dr. Rodier seems to have mastered them all, giving dogs a new chance with a stronger knee and a better quality of life.
TPLO is a surgical correction for cranial cruciate ligament rupture or in slang, "a torn up knee". This ligament provides structural support in the knee and without it there is severe pain and inflammation resulting in rear leg lameness. Many people will say that their dog was sprinting towards a squirrel or playing with another dog when they cry out in pain and start limping. It begins with a sudden non-weight bearing lameness in the affected leg. If the ligament is only partially torn then the dog may only suffer from mild episodes of lameness until it completely ruptures. Once the tear is complete, there will be a period of non-weight bearing lameness, which may be followed by the dog gradually starting to bear partial weight on the leg again. Smaller breed dogs my recover normal use of the leg with only mild arthritic changes but large breed dogs generally require surgical intervention or they will have debilitating long-term arthritis and pain in the joint.
Oliver was a recent surgery for Dr. Rodier. His owners brought him in for consultation after Oliver began limping. Oliver's owners were greatful that they had VPI pet insurance which helped take the financial burden off of them. If your pet does not have health insurance we highly recommend it. You can enroll by going to www.petinsurance.com In order to diagnose cranial cruciate ligament ruptures the joint must be palpated (moved/felt) under anesthesia. If Dr. Rodier can move the tibia back and forth under the femur freely, called a positive drawer motion, then that would indicate the cruciate ligament is not intact. An x-ray would be taken and measurements made that will be used in the TPLO surgical procedure. Post operative x-rays are also taken so Dr. Rodier can check and measure his surgery. You can read more in depth about TPLO symptoms, causes, diagnosis, etc. on our website or call our office (816) 229-1544 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rodier. Oliver is doing great!
Dr. Rodier performed this procedure on our boxer, Jose, last year. Pre and post-op care was fantastic. Jose was wanted to start running and playing quicker than we wanted. Today he is more active than the year before his surgery. In the morning he jumps and plays like a 1 year old puppy - even though he's almost 9!
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