Elderly mum's dog has damaged its cruciate ligament. Mum doesn't want to have it treated

[shagmundfreud]

..... because I think she has this idea that the dog will get better, or will cope without its back leg functioning.

Dog is 11, mixed breed - very similar to a Jack Russell, and until this point as fit as a fiddle.

Vet said to mum that some Jack Russell type dogs get on all right after this sort of injury without surgery. I suspect mum thinks this means 'without treatment'. She tends to hear what she wants to hear. She doesn't want to hear that it would be better for the dog to be put down, or for the dog to need expensive surgery and cage nursing afterwards, because she doesn't have dog insured, and she's going away for a month in about three weeks - can't put the visit off as her sister, who's she's going to visit in Australia, is ill with cancer

Meanwhile dog is on strong pain killers and hopping around the house looking a bit miserable.

Any thoughts?

Who is looking after the dog while she is away?

If you are why don't you take him to the vet? Then you will hear an accurate assessment of the poor dog's condition from a reliable source and be better able to help your Mum make the decision that is in the dog's best interest on her return.

Hi this happened to my 7 year old westie. I found a link called tiggerpoz that describes conservative treatment for injuries like this, and two years later he is as sound as ever. It is hard work to maintain the inactivity required, but it seems to work on small dogs and was recommended by my vet instead of surgery. good luck, and research thoroughly as many vets recommend the surgical route through lack of understanding.

No expert but a friend of mines giant DDB has recently had surgery for this and from chatting with him i believe that surgery isnt always needed for smaller breeds, so i dont actually think you mother is wrong here tbh. Also 11 isnt really all that elderly for a jack russell they often live to a ripe old age, i recently met one that was 19 and was happily running round playing with 1 YO lab .

There is a lot of evidence that dogs weigh less than 15kg conservative treatment of rest and painkillers is as successful and has the same long term outcome (arthritis) as surgery. I love doing the surgery it is a great one to do, but still recommend that small dogs do six weeks rest with antiinflammatories perform we consider surgery.

My border collie recovered without vsurgery, and is now very active and sound, although I keep her on glucosamine / chondritin / green lipped mussel / turmeric.

We were told by the vet that surgery is no means guaranteed to work, and may make things worse. for a small, light dog like a JRT I wouldn't rush into it.

devil's claw is a good, natural anti-inflammatory.