My name is Briana. I have a Service Dog named Ariel. She is a two year old brindle colored pit bull mix. Below is a summary of her recent consultation with a vet who is recommending an Arthroscopic Surgery for a partial ACL tear of her right hind leg. This is my first GoFundMe request, but I decided getting Ariels needs met is more important than my pride.

Diagnosis:

Right partial cranial cruciate ligament tear

Assessment:

San Martin Veterinary Hospital referred Ariel to Sage Veterinary Services. Ariel's orthopedic examination is consistent with a partial tear in her right cranial cruciate ligament. The cranial cruciate ligament is the primary stabilizer in the knee joint, and once torn, the knee is subjected to long-term instability, pain and arthritis. Today we discussed surgical and conservative management options for Ariel. Because she likely only has a partial tear with minimal instability, a more conservative treatment option may be a good middle ground between the TPLO surgery and non-surgical management with strict rest alone. Ariel's lifestyle makes the strict rest necessary for a good recovery with a TPLO challenging, so the amount of improvement we would see with a TPLO may not be significant enough to warrant putting her through a big surgery with prolonged recovery.

Arthroscopy is a modality that allows us to see inside patients' knees with a small camera. This is a minimally-invasive procedure that can be done on an outpatient basis. The goal of arthroscopy is to evaluate the cruciate ligament to see how much of it is torn and also determine whether a meniscal tear is playing a role in the lameness we are seeing. If a meniscal tear is seen, we can move directly into the operating room to debride the tear. If only a minor cruciate ligament tear is seen, we can instead inject platelet-rich plasma into Ariel's knee to decrease inflammation and help maintain strength of the ligament.

Recovery from surgery typically takes about 4 weeks.

It was recommended that she get the surgery to prevent a complete tear of the knee. At this time, the tearing is thought to be minimal and could improve with the Arthroscopic Surgery. As I mentioned, Ariel is my service dog and I need her. I truly appreciate any and all support.