Once a rescue dog with a future that didn’t seem very promising, Tessa found her way to the Loxahatchee Animal Rescue Community (LARC), where she was deemed a good candidate for a service dog program.
After completing the initial round of training, Tessa went on to graduate from the service dog program before being adopted by Nikki, who, just a year earlier, lost her best friend in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“Nikki and I started dating during our sophomore year at Florida Gulf Coast University,” said John, “and for as long as I’ve known Nikki, she and Tessa have been inseparable.”
While the world was largely shut down during COVID, John and Nikki adopted a second dog, a corgi named Dexter – so Tessa would have a friend. Then, shortly after graduation, Tessa and Dexter were part of John and Nikki’s wedding.
“All of a sudden she started limping,” John recalled. “We immediately took her to a local animal hospital which confirmed she had torn her left CCL.”
Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injuries are among the most common orthopedic conditions that veterinary surgeons treat, but that didn’t make it any easier for John and Nikki to see Tessa in pain.
After the diagnosis, John reached out to the Arthrex Vet Systems team for guidance on treatment options.
“I ended up reaching out to Vet Sales Representative Doug Tollett, who recommended BluePearl Pet Hospital in Fort Myers, Florida.”
The surgery, a Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedure, was performed by Christopher Ferrell, DVM, DACVS-SA (Fort Myers, FL), using a TPLO Locking Plate System and an ACP® double-syringe system.
The surgery was successful, and Tessa had a relatively easy recovery – only to tear her right CCL a year later.
“Given the statistics, it seemed inevitable,” said John, referring to the risk that dogs who tear one CCL may also tear the other.
According to John, Tessa’s injury was less obvious the second time around.
“She’d stopped eating and she was more lethargic,” he said. “We noticed her not wanting to use her right leg, but, ironically, it was her left leg – the one that had been hurt previously – that had started swelling.”
A trip to Tessa’s primary veterinarian determined that the swelling was the result of arthritis and the extra effort of supporting more of her weight. That visit also revealed Tessa’s second CCL tear.
By that time, John had transitioned to remote work, and he and Nikki had moved across the state to raise their daughter closer to Nikki’s family who still live in Parkland.
“We left the vet with medicine for her left leg, and right away, I reached out to Doug again.”
For Tessa’s second TPLO surgery, Doug recommended Marcos Unis, DVM, DACVS-SA (Royal Palm Beach, FL), at ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital. The surgery was performed with a 3.5 mm TPLO plate and screws and an injection of ACP Max™ platelet-rich plasma.
“Between Tessa’s previous surgery and her age, we were more concerned about her recovery this time around,” John said, “but she is thriving. She’s more active than ever.”
And the bond between Tessa and her family continues to grow stronger every day.
“I am deeply grateful to Arthrex for how it treats its employees – and their families.”
Looking for more information about CCL tears or other common pet injuries? Visit Arthrex Pet for educational resources, treatment information and a convenient Find a Veterinarian tool to help connect you with a provider in your area.
