Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) for the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in a rottweiler dog: case report

Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) is the leading cause of pelvic limb lameness and stifle osteoarthritis in dogs, and the Rottweiler is the breed at highest risk of diagnosis. The objective of this study was to report the surgical treatment of CCLR by tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) in a Rottweiler dog, with emphasis on surgical planning and multimodal anesthetic management. An intact male Rottweiler, two and a half years old and weighing 28 kg, presented with right pelvic limb lameness of one to four weeks' duration, joint effusion and positive cranial drawer and tibial compression tests, and the complete blood count showed mild leukocytosis with a left shift. A radial osteotomy of the proximal tibia was performed, and the articular segment was rotated and stabilized with a 3.5 mm locking TPLO plate, under balanced anesthesia with a constant rate infusion of fentanyl, lidocaine and ketamine and isoflurane maintenance. The tibial plateau angle was reduced from [X°] to [X°], immediate postoperative radiographs showed adequate implant positioning, and the patient recovered full weight bearing without lameness or complications. TPLO with locking fixation was effective in restoring functional stability of the stifle in this large-breed dog, and the case provides a documented clinical and radiographic reference for the management of a highly predisposed breed.