Cranial cruciate ligament rupture in small dogs (<15 kg): a narrative literature review

• Published in: Journal of small animal practice Vol. 62; no. 12; pp. 1037 - 1050
• Main Authors: Brioschi, V., Arthurs, G. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Animals; Anterior cruciate ligament; Anterior Cruciate Ligament - surgery; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries - surgery; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries - veterinary; Dog Diseases - surgery; Dogs; Fibula; Knee; Ligaments; Literature reviews; Osteotomy; Rupture; Skull; Stifle - surgery; Tibia; Tibia - surgery
• ISSN: 0022-4510; 1748-5827
• DOI: 10.1111/jsap.13404

Small breed dogs (<15 kg) affected by cranial cruciate ligament rupture secondary to cranial cruciate ligament disease are usually middle‐aged (mean age at presentation: 5.4 to 9.8 years); terrier breeds, miniature and toy poodles are over‐represented. Small breed dogs have a different morphology of the proximal tibia compared to medium and large breed dogs with a steep tibial plateau angle (mean tibial plateau angle 28.8° to 36.3°), absent base of the flare of the tibial tuberosity and a caudally bowed fibula. There is a lack of evidence regarding the optimal management of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in small dogs. The treatment options consist of conservative management, extracapsular stabilisation, cranial closing wedge ostectomy, tibial plateau levelling osteotomy and tibial tuberosity advancement. The limited evidence available shows that conservative management is likely to result in prolonged recovery time (average time to recovery approximately 4 months). There is paucity of reports focussing on extracapsular stabilisation in small breed dogs, and questions have been raised regarding the early failure of the extracapsular suture subject to higher loads due to the steep tibial plateau angle of small breed dogs. Cranial closing wedge ostectomy and tibial plateau levelling osteotomy have been reported to have low major complication rates and good subjective outcomes. It is controversial whether tibial tuberosity advancement is a suitable technique in dogs with steep tibial plateau angle, which includes most small breed dogs.