He explained that canine athletes (the ones you see on ESPN) can't do surgery or stay on Rimadyl long-term. The smallest complication ends their career.
And he said there are only three things you need to understand in order to help your dog fully recover.
1. The Cause:
Every dog gets micro tears from normal play. Running, jumping, being a dog. In most of the body these heal overnight. But the knee heals super slow because it has the worst blood supply of any tissue in a dog's body.
2. Why It Doesn't Heal:
Once the CCL is torn, nothing you give your dog is reaching the knee. No blood flow, no nutrients being delivered. That's why most supplements do nothing.
3. Rimadyl is Important
It keeps your dog walking evenly on both legs so the good knee doesn't tear too. But it does nothing to heal the torn one. And the longer your dog stays on it without the knee actually recovering, the higher the risk of serious side effects.
"You have about a three-month window," he said. "Heal the knee fast enough and you can take them off Rimadyl before any long-term damage."
That's when he told me about Chew Barkies.
