Anna Spangler

Anna Spangler

Marketing Director & Co-Owner

Case Report: Ruby – Husky Mix With CCL Injury 1

Patient: Ruby is a 6-year-old, 50-pound husky mix

Diagnosis: Right hind CCL tear

Type Of Device: Stifle brace

Case Report: Ruby is an active husky who likes to play with her two lively siblings. Her family believes their playtime may have contributed to her CCL injury. After researching the surgery and restrictive post-op care, her family decided a custom knee brace was a better treatment plan for Ruby and their lifestyle.

As Ruby lives in Idaho, she was unable to visit one of our three patient care facilities on the east coast. The family ordered a casting kit from our company and their local veterinarian took a cast of Ruby’s leg. We received the cast at our Morgantown, PA facility and the completed brace was shipped out in January of this year.

The stifle brace prevents tibial thrust which promotes scar tissue formation. As the scar tissue forms, the dog is able to bear more weight on the injured leg and regain muscle mass in their thigh. The brace reduces the likelihood of the sound leg sustaining a CCL tear as they are gradually increasing the weight bearing on their injured leg and not off-loading their weight to their non-injured leg.

After the initial break-in period, Ruby built up to wearing the brace for 10-11 hours a day for nine months. Now, she only wears the brace during playtime. She goes for a 45-minute walk at least 3-4 times a week and bears full weight on her leg without any limping.

Her family said, “We did not realize how much that injury had not only affected her physically, but also emotionally. She has such a funny disposition and little by little my husband and I are seeing those cute little mannerisms return. It is so much fun to have her back, physically and personality wise.”