Conservative management for a ccl tear is not an easy process, but I am determined to do what I believe is best for Wiley. Knee braces were only part of the process. We also needed to add appropriate physical therapy and supplements to the mix.
It took a little time, but I was able to find a local holistic vet. While she wasn’t keen on the knee brace instead of surgery route, she was supportive of the decision. Our first visit included a nice sit-down where she got to know both Wiley and me. It’s nice when you can get on the same page as the vet even if you’re don’t agree one-hundred percent on everything.
His first treatments included both cold laser therapy and acupuncture. He wasn’t sure about either at first, but he did really well. I could visually see him relaxing with the acupuncture which was amazing. It made me think that I need to try out acupuncture for myself. lol! By the time the treatment was finished, he was so mellow and relaxed. I didn’t get any pictures because I didn’t want to take away from the process.
We discussed a few different pain medication options. I wanted to stick with a more natural approach, so she recommended t-relief for him. It can be used for both humans and dogs.
His current supplements include Turmeric, T-Relief, and GlycoFlex 3. They get tucked inside of meatballs, so he’s happy to take them. It took a little bit to find the right supplements for him, but this particular combination seems to work quite well in helping him feel better. In fact, sometimes he feels a little too good for his own well-being. He wants to do too much for where he’s at in the recovery process.
The plan in to periodically do the acupuncture with him. I wish we could do it more frequently, but it’s just not in the budget to do it all the time. I do massage with him at home like the vet taught me. I don’t do the range of motion exercises as we don’t want the knee sliding around which is the purpose of the braces. We want the scar tissue to build up as that’s part of the healing process.
The daily walks (as weather allows) while wearing his braces are helping build his muscle back up. Plus, they help with his emotional well-being which goes a long way in helping with the recovery process. These days, keeping him from being too active is one of the hardest parts of the conservative management recovery process. As he feels better, he wants to get back to playing again.
Follow our dog knee injury recovery without surgery journey:
