The prognosis depends on a number of factors. The longer the injury has been present, the more arthritic the joint and the more guarded the prognosis. If the meniscal cartilage is torn, the prognosis is more guarded as well. Obese animals tend to recover more slowly than animals in good shape. Animals with torn cruciate ligaments on both sides take longer to recover than animals with an injury on only one side. Dogs with underlying diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or immune mediated polyarthritis have a decreased prospect for a full recovery.
In general, animals stabilized with any surgical technique will require three to six months of rehabilitation. After that time, depending on how arthritic the joint was before surgery, they should return to fairly normal activity levels, although they are unlikely to regain 100 percent of their pre-injury function. These dogs may be sore after heavy exercise and occasionally may require pain medication. Athletic animals will have some decrease in function and will be unlikely to return to competition. Hunting dogs may not be able to hunt as frequently or for extended periods of time as they did prior to injury. The TPLO- surgery is purported to be able to return animals to performance levels; however, definitive objective studies have not been published to date.
