Joker is a pretty special fella, as his full name “Australian Grand Ch: Almanza Double Action Dark Kiss (IMP. SWD) (BIS/BISS)” suggests.
In February the handsome flat-coat retriever unfortunately got his foot caught while jumping out of the car and his vets at Asquith Vet Clinic discovered that he had instability of his knee, so he was referred to SASH. Through X-Rays and key-hole arthroscopy it was discovered that he had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, his posterior cruciate ligament and his medial collateral ligament. It was carnage, leaving his knee very vulnerable to long term osteoarthritis and dysfunction.
A tricky balancing act of surgical stabilisation followed, with tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) and multiple ligamentous reconstruction and augmentation. The surgery involved cutting the top part of the shin bone near the knee, repositioning it and then fixing it into position with a combination of stainless steel and titanium plates and screws. Prognosis was guarded for return to the competitive lifestyle he lived.
Joker and his owner really put the effort in to his rehab, directed by SASH rehab team vet Dr Naomi Boyd, they were both really committed to get him going again despite the severe injury.
Fast forward a few months, specialist surgeon, Dr Dan James, was delighted to receive some video footage of Joker, training hard at tracking. He’s really kicking goals.
