How will a veterinarian diagnose a ruptured CCL?
The diagnosis of CCLR is typically based on the presence of the “cranial drawer sign”. In order to feel this, you dog will be placed on his/ her side, and the veterinarian will feel the knee for cranial drawer motion. This procedure is not painful; however, some dogs may be too tense to allow thorough palpation. If this is the case, a sedative may be given in order to complete the examination. Patients with chronic ruptures associated with a large amount of scar tissue and arthritis may not exhibit cranial drawer. Other signs of CCL rupture include “medial buttress” (thickening or scarring on the inside of the knee), and “tibial thrust” (another method to check for cranial displacement of the tibia). X-rays will also be taken in order to rule out other potential causes of hind-limb lameness and to evaluate the extent of arthritis within the joint.
