【VMC Vet Tips: Tear of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in Pet】

ACL Tear is very common in pets. This injury is extremely painful for your pet resulting in lameness almost immediately. The knee joint is a hinge joint and it is held together by several ligaments, including the cruciate ligaments, which allow it to move back and forth like a hinge, but restrict its side-to-side motion.

What is ACL Tear?

In both humans and animals, an ACL injury involves the anterior cruciate ligament, which is the thin tissue connecting the tibia (just below the knee) to the femur (thighbone).

ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament, and it is essential in stabilizing the stifle and keeping the leg bones in place. Pets have a very comparable ligament, technically referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). The term “cranial” instead of “anterior” is used in pets. There are two forms of ACL injury – a partial or complete tear. A partial tear means part of the ligament is torn while a complete tear means the entire ligament is torn resulting in total instability of the knee joint.

What are the symptoms?

When your pet experiences an ACL injury, such ligament is no longer able to stabilize the stifle joint when the animal tries to put weight on the affected limb. Below are some common symptoms:
• Unable to bear weight on the injured leg
• Limping in the hind legs
• Stiffness, most apparent after a length of rest
• difficulty rising from a sit
• Swollen stifle

Consult your veterinarian if these symptoms are seen in your furry friend. Various treatment options (surgical and non-surgical) are available depending on the size of the animal.

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