Soft Tissue Injuries in Dogs

Soft tissue injuries in dogs are common. These injuries can affect several different parts of the dog, as "soft tissue" can describe several different anatomical structures. Surgery is often indicated to correct the injury or to jump-start healing. The use of several medications can also be helpful in the recovery process. Regardless of the injury or problem, care should be taken to rehab the dog in full compliance with your vet's recommendations. This will ensure as full and speedy recovery as possible.

  1. Soft Tissue

    • Soft tissue typically refers to the connective tissue that supports the skeletal system. This includes muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Muscles work to contract and extend, allowing the limbs and other body parts to move. Tendons connect muscles to the bone and have less blood flow, or vasculature, in them than muscles. Ligaments hold bone to bone, typically over a joint, and have even less vasculature. Cartilage provides a cushion to ease the friction of bone on bone movement in the joints. Cartilage has the least blood flow to it. Due to the poor vasculature in these tissues, when these areas are injured, healing can take months.

    Common Injuries

    • In everyday play, dogs can pull or strain muscles that will leave them feeling sore for a few days. This will often happen without the owner noticing as the injury is minor. Tendon or ligament strains or tears are often quite painful and will produce a noticeable limp. The most common injury of this type is the torn or ruptured cruciate ligament in the stifle or knee joint of the dog. Active dogs can also suffer from arthritis, a breakdown in the surface of the cartilage, as they get older. Arthritis is a common problem in dogs.

    Surgery

    • For dogs with severe trauma to the soft tissue, such as a completely torn cruciate ligament or defects in the cartilage, surgery can be helpful. The goal of a cruciate surgery is to replace the blown cruciate ligament with a synthetic ligament or to reattach the dog's ligament if possible. It is also possible to manually resurface a joint, decreasing friction and easing pain. Your vet can help you determine if surgery would be needed or helpful for your dog.

    Medication

    • Medications are often needed to control the pain of an injury and aid healing. These medications can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery. A commonly prescribed pain medication for dogs is carprofen, or Rimadyl. This is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that works to reduce swelling as well as alleviate pain. This medication may be used in conjunction with an analgesic, such as tramadol, in severe cases or immediately following surgery.

    Rehab

    • Rest is often required to begin the healing process, especially after surgery. Rest allows the affected area to remodel and return to a more normal state before it is stressed with exercise. Once the rest phase is over, movement should be reintroduced slowly and methodically to ensure a steady recovery. The length of recovery will depend on the type and severity of the injury. Your vet can help you determine a good rehab plan for your dog.