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On the day of surgery following sedation, a series of x-rays will be taken. Dr. Lewis will use these x-rays to measure the angle/degree of separation present.  This data will give the final decision on which repair procedure is most appropriate (TPLO vs. TTA). Regardless, your pet’s knee will be under great care!

To learn more about this surgery, please visit the following link to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons website: Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease

The estimate for your surgical procedure accounts for bloodwork the day of surgery, an IV catheter, fluids, anesthesia, the procedure, 2 weeks of post-operative medications (including pain medication, anti-inflammatory & antibiotics), pre- and post-operative x-rays, the E-collar and an initial rehabilitation session with Dr. Lewis.  Essentially everything that normally occurs on surgery day plus the first follow-up.

The estimate does not include follow-up appointments or subsequent rehabilitation visits. A general re-check appointment is $10, a re-check with x-rays is $42.50. Medication refills vary in price dependent on your pet’s weight and post-operative needs. We offer different rehabilitation packages at a discounted price.

The video links below are helpful How To’s and What To Expect for post-op:
How To Pill Your Pup
How To Ice Your Pets Incision Site
How To Take Your Pet Out For A Potty Break
How To Put Together The “Cone of Shame”

Crate (required):

  • Folding Metal Dog Crate
  • It’s imperative that you have a crate for your pet after surgery. Following a TTA or a TPLO surgery, our patients need to have strict crate restriction for a few weeks.  Take into consideration that your pet will be wearing an e-collar the first 2 weeks after surgery. A good size is a crate in which your pet can stand up and turn around comfortably.

Financing your surgery:

We accept two options for payment plans: Care Credit and Scratch Pay. Please let us know if you need additional information on these services.

Crowd funding can be a great way to help with the financial aspects of a surgery.
Below are links to some gofundme.com fundraisers.  People enjoy seeing x-rays and regular updates. Below are examples of what gets good attention on the sites.

Cricket The Kitty, Found In A Parking Lot
Pickles The Kitten, Emergency Amputation Needed
Cookie The Piglet, Found on Parmer Lane

Also, Share on your Facebook pages; friends and family can donate without an awkward “give me money” conversation.
Below are a few tricks/tips that may help during recovery after this type of surgery.
We recommend checking Amazon.com for a lot of these supplies before going to the store as you can typically get them much cheaper online.

Kennel Mat (optional):

A mat in your pet’s kennel/crate can aid in preventing accidents/slipping/falling in the crate due to lack of traction on a kennel tray.

  • Home Depot and Lowes sell outdoor rubber mats in the store or online that aid with traction. Rubber mats can be cut to fit small crate sizes easily.
  • The durability, weight & grip of the thick rubber mat is more effective than using a bath mat or carpet remnant as the bottom will cling better and stay in place on the kennel pan. Whereas a softer, lighter materials tend to slide around and move easily causing slips/falls.
  • You can place cushions, blankets, bedding on top of the rubber mat to provide a comfortable place to rest.

Joint Supplements (optional): 

Lupine (optional): Lupine Pet Collars, Leashes & Harness

  • 2ft, 4ft or 6ft leashes are recommended for use following surgery – DO NOT USE a retractable leash.
  • The Lupine company will replace collars, leashes or harnesses for free if they are damaged at any point during the ownership of this product, including if the pet chews them. You can return the remaining pieces to any store that sells their products and receive a new one.
  • The also offer a short 9-inch leash in addition to regular 4ft & 6ft leashes
  • Martingale Collars are useful as they prevent your pet from escaping/backing out of their collar and are easy to get on and off.

Other harnesses and aids (optional):

Although it is generally recommended that your pet ambulation on their own, the following can be very useful during recovery, helping you to lift and support your pet while they are adjusting to redistributing their weight:

Medication aids (optional):

  • Pill Pockets (Amazon.com) typically has these pretty cheap, in a rush they can also be found in store at PetSmart or Petco); the duck flavor seems to be the most successful and typically easier on the tummy for sensitive systems
  • Peanut Butter
  • Kraft Singles Cheese Squares
  • Cream Cheese
  • Hot Dogs
  • Pill “gun” or “popper” (tool to administer pills into your pet’s throat, bypassing tongue/mouth)