Our 6 year old lab has a left knee problem. We took him to Veternary Surgical Services Inc and they recommended surgery – they weren’t sure what was needed, they knew that they needed to go in and perform a menisectomy and then either a TTA or TPLO. Am I crazy to want a second opinion?

Seeking a second opinion is never a bad idea provided the veterinarian providing the second opinion has a high level of knowledge and expertise in the medical problem. There are several surgical procedures, including TTA, TPLO, and Tightrope, that are commonly utilized very successfully for problems within the knee such as cranial cruciate ligament rupture and torn medial meniscus which may well be the problem(s) for your dog. However, relatively few veterinarians in the Tampa Bay area routinely perform these surgeries, so it is important to get a second opinion from a veterinarian that has considerable experience with diseases of the knee and the associated surgical procedures.

It should be noted that in many cases the exact nature of the problem within the knee may not be known based on an examination and x-rays. This is particularly true of possible damage to the medial meniscus which is common, but may not be revealed until seen during surgery.

Link V. Welborn, DVM, DABVP, CCRT
Board Certified in Canine and Feline Practice