TPLO surgery is one of the most commonly used procedures in repairing cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears in dogs. In fact, according to the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, over one million surgeries involving the knee are performed on our furry friends each year.
In general, TPLO surgery recovery has an excellent success rate, pending adherence to post-surgical protocol.
MYOS Canine Muscle Formula has been clinically proven to improve recovery after TPLO surgery. Let’s take a look at what TPLO surgery is, the clinical studies and how Fortetropin® plays a key role in muscle health and the TPLO recovery process for your furry friend.
What is Tibial-Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) Surgery?
TPLO (Tibial-Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) is a surgical procedure performed on canines to repair ruptures of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), a canine ligament that is analogous to the ACL. This surgery in dogs is similar to the ACL surgery in humans to repair the torn ligament.
The CCL, also known as the canine ACL, can rupture as a result of long-term degeneration in many dogs, genetic factors, obesity, hormonal imbalance and certain inflammatory conditions. CCL is the most common cause of lameness in dogs and one that many pet owners are estimated to spend over $1.5B per year to treat (the majority of which relates to surgery).
In the weeks that follow TPLO surgery, immobilization of the dog's limb is often required and the operated limb will frequently show significant muscle loss due to muscle disuse atrophy. Typically, the recovery period for a dog after TPLO surgery is about eight to twelve weeks, but will vary depending on the dog’s age, breed, size and adherence to recovery protocol.
Learn more about TPLO Surgery Recovery
TPLO Recovery: What the Science Says
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study by Kansas State University evaluated the impact of Fortetropin® on 100 post-surgical dogs during their TPLO recovery. The canine clinical trial, found that Fortetropin reduced muscle atrophy after surgery and improved the success rate of TPLO recovery.
According to the principal study investigator Kenneth R. Harkin, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), "This study demonstrates the benefits of Fortetropin® in dogs with prolonged postoperative recovery periods. Restoration or maintenance of muscle mass through the reduction of serum myostatin levels with Fortetropin offers veterinarians a novel approach to in-home rehabilitation of injured dogs, including potentially improving or restoring mobility in geriatric dogs."
Key Findings of the TPLO Recovery Study
Here are a few discoveries from the study that found Fortetropin inhibits disuse muscle atrophy in dogs after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy.
- Fortetropin prevented the loss of muscle mass in these dogs as measured by the thigh circumference in their affected and unaffected limbs.
- Fortetropin-supplemented dogs had a more significant improvement in percentage of weight supported by the affected limb as determined by force plate stance analysis (more rapid return to normal stance force distribution) than the placebo group.
- Fortetropin prevented a rise in serum myostatin levels. Myostatin is a protein that prevents muscle growth and promotes muscle atrophy.
Given that TPLO recovery in dogs has significant crossover to muscle atrophy experienced by humans following certain orthopedic surgeries, such as ACL repair, these Kansas State results may also play an exciting role in helping to guide a similar clinical development program in humans.
Enhance Post-Operative TPLO Recovery
Has your Veterinarian recommended TPLO surgery for your dog? Ask them about MYOS Canine Muscle Formula to help improve your dog’s orthopedic health post-surgery outcome.
MYOS Canine Muscle Formula is Veterinarian recommended. Manufactured through a patented process that preserves the powerful and vital nutrients present in fertilized egg yolks, MYOS Canine Muscle Formula has been clinically proven to improve recovery after TPLO surgery.
