Treating Partial Cruciate Tears Naturally in Dogs

Keep the Tail Wagging is supported by pet parents. I occasionally earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) when you click through an affiliate link to one of my favorite products. Thank you for your support. Read More

Can cruciate tears in dogs be treated naturally? My senior dog was diagnosed with a partial cruciate tear and these are the steps we're taking to heal his knee and avoid permanent mobility issues.

I recently learned that our senior dog has a partial cruciate tear. This isn't our first experience; his sister had a partial tear years ago that we treated naturally, without surgery. Rodrigo doesn't have a full tear, which allows us more flexibility. Minimizing exercise while supporting his joints with diet and supplements will help the ligaments heal naturally. This process takes time (a few months), and with a senior border collie, we have to watch his activity to avoid setbacks. But we'll get there.

What is a Partial Cruciate Ligament Tear?

“A ligament is a band of connective or fibrous tissue that connects two bones, or cartilage, at a joint; the cranial cruciate ligament is the ligament that connects the thigh bone with the lower leg bone – it helps to stabilize the stifle joint. Cranial cruciate ligament disease, also referred to as the anterior-cruciate ligament (ACL), is the sudden (acute) or progressive failure of the cranial cruciate ligament, which results in partial to complete instability of the stifle joint. Cranial cruciate rupture is the tearing of the cranial cruciate ligament; it is the most common cause of rear-leg lameness in dogs and a major cause of degenerative joint disease (progressive and permanent deterioration of joint cartilage) in the stifle joint; rupture may be partial or complete.” ~ Source: PetMD.com

I noticed something wrong with my dogs because they wouldn't put weight on one leg. During a veterinarian examination, there was limited movement/extension in the leg/joint and signs of pain.

Can a Partial Cruciate Tear Heal Naturally?

This is a tough question because the answer will be “it depends.” It depends on the dog, the severity of the tear, and much more. In my experience, I was able to treat my dogs without surgical intervention.

I limited running and zoomies to prevent further tears. Walking the dogs on leash to better control their activity was helpful.
Keeping dogs at a healthy weight is important. An overweight dog is putting more weight on the injured ligament. It's important to adjust the amount being fed to account for the decreased activity as the area is healing.
Supporting ligaments through diet is important. Kibble diets are high in carbs, which promote inflammation and slow healing. Therefore, my dogs are fed a raw food diet. I prioritized Omega-3 fatty acids, mushroom tinctures, and joint supplements.
Working with my veterinarian is key to recovery too. I chose laser therapy treatment for my dogs because of past success. Other treatments include Bowen therapy, massage therapy, and acupuncture.

Alternative Therapies

If you mention that your dog has joint issues on social media, you'll get a lot of advice on what you should or shouldn't try. Unfortunately, there isn't one solution for every dog, and I've had to do some trial and error to find out what works for my dogs.

Laser Therapy is a nonevasive process that uses a special light to penetrate the skin and tissue to expand blood flow to an injured area, reducing inflammation and speeding up healing. Rodrigo's sessions are about 10 minutes each, and he will be going twice weekly for a few weeks and then once a month. I chose laser therapy because it's an easy process with no pain or discomfort. The treated area does get warm, but it's not painful for Rodrigo.

Acupuncture treatment involves the placement of tiny needles into acupressure points along the body to speed healing, reduce inflammation, reduce stress, boost the immune system, and more. Rodrigo's sister did well with acupuncture; as soon as I find a practitioner, I'll be taking Rodrigo. My only concern is if he'll relax enough to enjoy the treatment.

With Sydney and Scout, each session lasted 20-30 minutes, including reviewing their history and discussing concerns while my dog settled down. Once my dogs experienced acupuncture for the first time, they enjoyed the treatments.

Bowen therapy is a treatment that looks like a massage, but instead of working out kinks in your muscles, Bowen therapy works on connective tissues. It benefits dogs with arthritis because it improves mobility and may help reduce inflammation. Sydney's veterinarian combined Bowen work with chiropractic treatments and acupuncture. What I like most about Bowen work is that it's something pet parents can do at home with a brief tutorial from their veterinarian.

CBD Oil and Supplements for Joint Health

Regarding pain management, I prefer natural supplements to prescription medication. However, I will combine holistic and traditional treatments if my dog is in serious pain.

Holistic Supplements

I give Rodrigo a dropper full of CBD oil twice daily to reduce inflammation and reduce pain. CBD oil is not a cure. I apply the oil to his gums, it takes a couple of seconds. With the popularity of CBD products, I've learned to be picky about the brands I trust:

Chinese Herbs

There are thousands of herbal blends we can try on our dogs. When it comes to Chinese herbs, I prefer to work with an experienced veterinarian who can cut through all of the information to find the right blends to try out with my dogs. Some herbal blends don't taste great, making it hard to hide them in their food. Tablets are easier to give to my dogs; I hide them in cheese or meat.

Joint Supplements

There are a lot of joint supplement options available for dogs. When they become adults, I start my dogs on a joint supplement (at a low dose) to protect their joints and delay the onset of arthritis. Once I see signs of joint issues (limping, decreased mobility, pain), I increase the dosage.

WINPRO Hip and Joint – chewable
YuMove Senior Tablets

Fresh Food Diet

Feeding a fresh food diet decreases inflammation and improves mobility and a dog's overall health. Additionally, I add Omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil. I feed fish, too (sardines, mackerel, salmon, oysters), but as a side dish. It's easier to meet my dogs' Omega-3 needs with fish oil. Life Line offers six fish oils, and I alternate between the following four fish oil products:

There are plenty of plant-based sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, but after the ALA is converted to DHA and EPA, which is required for our dogs, I question the levels of fatty acids that remain. So, although I add chia seeds to my dogs' diet, it's for the fiber and not the Omega-3 fatty acids.