IT could happen to you

This post is dedicated to Pee-Wee the labradude and his Relentlessly Huge brother- may you both remain free of CCL problems! Pee-wee's ma asked (awhile ago) if this might happen to him so I though I would post a little of what I have learned about Cranial Cruciate Ligament rupture... sadly, it could happen to you!
It is one of the most common orthopedic injuries seen by vets. Many in our orthodog community have remarked that they are shocked to find it is so common when they had never known about it before their own dog fell victim to it. It can happen to dogs young or old (more common in middle-age), large or small (more common in larger dogs) and any breed mixed or pure though studies exist that suggest a greater frequency in certain breeds such as Rotties and Labs. However it is difficult to separate the popularity of the breed with the frequency of injury. More CCL patients may be labs but it is the most common breed!
This condition is in some cases a true traumatic injury (getting a foot caught or twisted for example) but for the vast majority it is considered a disease where (as I understand it) changes in the joint lead to gradual degeneration of the fibers comprising the ligament. This degeneration is often un-noticed until one day the ligament ruptures and the owner will assume it was an injury when it was actually disease. A few other aspects of the joint may contribute to rupture including the shape and angles of the bones within the joint (gross over simplification but this is how I understand it!). Steeper angles where the bones meet result in more stress and the ligaments can handle this unless they start to degenerate. It is very common that a dog who has ruptured the CCL in one knee, will eventually rupture it in another knee... sadly. Keep your fingers and paws crossed for my Moose!
So how can you prevent this from happening to your pup? The number one thing that CCL deficient dogs have in common is they are overweight and inactive. Moose was neither of these but I am even more cautious about this now that I know his other knee is susceptible. Soooo many reasons to keep your dog's weight under control and activity up and this is yet another one!
Some believe this is a weekend-warrior type injury so that if your dog is sedentary for most of the week then goes on occasional bouts of strenuous activity you may be increasing their risk for CCL rupture. I think it is important to include regular low-impact activity in with their wild romps! Moose got short walks that I would compensate for with long trips to the dog park but in retrospect I think a balance might have been better for him. Low impact activity keeps the muscles strong so they can stabilize the joints when they go for their romps in the park. I may be wrong on this and some believe that if this is going to happen to your dog then it is going to happen no matter what you do, but even if that is true, it seems reasonable to say they may delay the injury or heal better if they are more fit to start with!
Lastly, if this happens, what to do? There are several surgical procedures that are commonly done and can be very successful and there is also 'conservative management' which involves activity restriction and I believe some PT.
My advice:

1. Keep your dog active (include low-impact activity), fit and on the lower end of a healthy weight
2. Don't let them play past the point of exhaustion (which they will if you let them)
3. Give them good quality food (grain-free has been suggested to be beneficial to joint health among other things),
4. Give them joint supplements (Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Vit C, E and Fish oil), these do nothing for ligaments but keep the joint working smoothly and help with the arthritis that is an inevitable result of CCL rupture.
5. At the first sign of a limp in the rear leg, STRICT rest and see a good vet!
6. Cherish every day that they are healthy and able to be active.
7. Get pet insurance if you have 1 dog or start a savings account if you have multiple dogs or your dog is over 7 yrs . Many pet insurance companies have major limitations on what they cover and are not worth it, I have found PetPlan to offer the most comprehensive coverage but you have to have a policy before this happens of course!

Good luck and Keep all your paws crossed that my Moose will recover fast and not have problems with his other knee! We are 6 weeks into a looong recovery and starting to lose focus so I am posting a few pics of the good old days of walkies, road trips and romps at the park before he spent his days impersonating a black throw rug!