Steinway needs ACL surgery
After 2 months of exploratory vet visits, we finally got a referral to a specialist, who gave us the diagnosis that we were looking for. It's nice to have an answer - much better than having to watch Steinway struggle with intermittent lameness and scratching my head about it - but the bad news is, surgery is recommended.
Steinway most likely has a partial ACL tear, which will become a full tear without intervention. The orthopedic specialist recommended a treatment plan that includes surgery, and will cost around $4,000.
I personally feel very uncomfortable with utilizing crowdfunding. Have never done it before, and am a little embarrassed to do it now, so after consulting with Steinway, we decided to set the bar low. Anything not raised to the $4K mark will be paid over a 6 month finance period... At which point Steinway is predicted to have healed back to a normal gait!
Here is some more information on Steinway's condition:
https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/cranial-cruciate-ligament-disease
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Football, hockey and soccer players are not the only ones to get sidelined due to knee problems. Just like athletes, dogs can end up with a cruciate ligament injury. In fact, cruciate damage is the second most common orthopedic condition found in dogs after hip dysplasia, and is the most frequently operated orthopedic condition in our canine friends.
Just like in people, there are two cruciate ligaments within the dog’s knee, and they form a cross (which is where the name “cruciate” comes from). In both people and dogs, the front part of the cross is the ligament that gets injured, except in our four-legged friends, it’s known as the “cranial” cruciate ligament—so technically, though frequently referred to as ACL, it is correctly abbreviated to CCL.
The other difference is that ACL injuries in people are usually traumatic sporting injuries. In dogs this is not the case. Instead, the ligament gradually becomes weaker over time, partly due to genetics. This is why we see it so commonly in certain breeds. Normal activity can then cause the weakened ligament to tear without any unusual force or injury.
(Full article here: https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/5-signs-your-dog-has-acl-injury/116224)
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Your support means the world to us, and please know that we will be on the frontlines helping you in return when your time of need comes.
With Love,
Nate & Steinway