Does cruciate repair disqualify a dog from showing? Looked at AKC rules, and it is not on the list of corrective surgeries.

Thanks for any info!

The way I read the rules is this....surgery to artificially alter a dog's appearance or way of moving is not allowed. It is allowed to repair an injury. If your dog broke its leg and needed a surgical reduction to repair with screws, etc...you could still be able to show him.

My bitch finished her championship with two majors 6 months after her cruciate repair.

This gives me hope. I just assumed that my girl's show career was over.

The rehab after the surgery is very important....we were lucky....the surgery was in the spring.... we opened our pool early and she swam laps.

If a dog has a TPLO, they wouldn't be eligible to compete in conformation, would they? That's changing the angle of the stifle and, I've heard, would be surgically altering the dog. A conventional repair wouldn't fall under that category just like a repair for a broken leg wouldn't.

Just asking.

E-mail the AKC. Then you have THE answer, not a bunch of opinions.

go ahead and show, just keep it to yourself like almost everyone else does. Its not a big deal. Good for you if they are sound enough to compete again.

I have experience with TPLO cruciate repair. You really can not see a scar at all. Her movement changed a bit, though, and when she required repair of the other knee, I went ahead and spayed her.

Of course not , it is an injury. Have it repaired , and move on.

The dog is not being altered; she is being restored to the same condition she was in prior to her injury. Yes, of course you may continue to show after rehab.

I have a bitch who tore her cruciate ligament, and had the "fishing line" surgery, and 3 weeks at a rehab facility afterward. Thankfully, she had finished her CH 3 months before her injury, but if she hadn't been finished, I would have brought her back out to show. She is perfectly sound now.

My bitch finished her CH and won a specialty BOW after her traditional cruciate repair and is still going strong

I show my male after 2 TPLOS's. It's just a surgery to fix an injury.

actually there are those that will argue with your repsonses, gee imagine that. My male definitely has more turn of stifle since his surgery. It is very apparent. Therefore it can alter the structure somewhat.

AKC says 'NOPE'

But just lie, like everyone else ;)

AKC does NOT say "Nope." The repair of a torn or ruptured ligament is ACCEPTABLE.

perhaps for repair to a torn ligament, but what about for a TPLO?

The AKC told me that a TPLO would make the dog ineligible for showing in breed.

However, since it is the head of the tibia that is being resectioned rather than the head of the femur, perhaps that is where some people interpret the rule a bit differently.

Rules Applying to Dog Shows, Chapter 11, Section 8 clearly states that:
"Procedures that would in and of themselves be considered a change in appearance by artificial means and make a dog ineligible for shows include, but are not limited to:
....9..... femoral head resection..."

I show my repaired girl, though she finished prior to surgery. I can't tell the difference from one side to the other as far as turn of stifle. Perhaps a more extreme angle change could do this, but I haven't seen it. Besides the fact that a dog with more turn of stifle in one leg shouldn't move properly and you'd think a judge might notice he's not balanced from side to side?