One of the most common orthopedic injuries that we see is a torn cruciate ligament of the knee.  This happens most often in dogs and usually presents with the dog holding up one of its rear legs.  Diagnosis is reached through a physical exam, occasionally with anesthesia to help the animal to relax, and radiographs are often performed to rule out other issues.  If a tear is diagnosed, the best treatment is to stabilize the knee surgically.  We have a board-certified surgeon, Dr. Geoff Clark, that comes to our office to perform the surgery.  There are two different methods that he utilizes to stabilize the knee and we can discuss these options with you if your pet is diagnosed with a full or partial tear of it's cruciate ligament.