Clean Run - August 2015 - 22

Table 1 - VOSM Return to Agility Grading Scale
Grade

Post-Surgical Procedure

Grade 1

Owner chose not to return dog to agility for reasons unrelated to surgery.

Grade 2

Dog was physically unable to return to agility.

Grade 3

Dog returned to agility but performed worse than pre-operative level

Grade 4

Dog returned to agility and performed at pre-operative level

Grade 5

Dog returned to agility and performed better than pre-operative level

to agility competition and perform at the same level as they had prior to surgery.
Dogs are grade 5 if they return to agility competition and perform at a level better
than they had prior to surgery. See Table 1. We applied this grading scale to the
respondents in this study and found that half of the dogs that returned to agility were performing at the same level or better than they had prior to CCL injury.
A large proportion of dogs in our study were able to return to agility after having a TPLO performed for correction of CCL insuﬃciency. We found that, based
on the VOSM Return to Agility Grading Scale, a large proportion of the dogs that
returned to agility (like Winnie) were performing at or above their pre-injury level.
The dogs included in this study all had the TPLO procedure carried out by a VOSM
surgeon. At VOSM the TPLO procedure is performed by residency-trained surgeons and is done, on average, between 15-30 times per week. The success of
return to agility in this study is likely due to the specialty training and vast experience of the orthopedic surgeons performing the TPLO procedure at VOSM. The
eﬀort carried out by owners following the at home rehabilitation and return to
sport training programs provided by VOSM are also contributing factors in successful return to agility. D

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A special thanks to Darlene and Greg Paul for allowing VOSM to share Winnie's story.

Dr. Shannon Heidorn earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Western University after completing her undergraduate studies at the University of California,
Davis. She then completed a rotating internship, and recently completed a surgical internship at Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Group in Annapolis Junction,
Maryland. Dr. Heidorn has special interests in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine for canine patients. Following her surgical internship at VOSM, Dr. Heidorn is now
completing a surgical residency at Animal Specialty & Emergency Center in Los Angeles.
Sherman O. Canapp, Jr., DVM, MS, CCRT, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, originally from Maryland, completed a combined Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/Master of Science at
Kansas State University, an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri, and followed up with a three-year residency in small animal
surgery at the University of Florida. Dr. Canapp currently practices orthopedic surgery and sports medicine at Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Group in Annapolis
Junction, Maryland, where he is chief of staff. Dr. Canapp has earned diplomate status from both the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College
of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. His primary focus and research is in arthroscopy, regenerative medicine, and sports medicine. Dr. Canapp lectures
nationally and internationally and is a consultant for numerous organizations and medical companies.
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Clean Run - August 2015

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