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Archive Case #14: Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Dog veterinary case - Easy - March 17, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A 5-year-old Labrador retriever presents with acute hindlimb lameness after running.
  2. The owner reports the dog suddenly yelped and has been reluctant to bear weight since.
  3. The affected stifle is swollen and the dog sits with the limb slightly extended.
  4. Orthopaedic examination reveals cranial instability of the tibia relative to the femur.
  5. Radiographs show stifle joint effusion and early osteoarthritic change.
  6. Rupture of the major stabilising ligament of the canine stifle causes abnormal cranial tibial movement.

Diagnosis

Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture

This case is most consistent with Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture because the dog has acute stifle lameness, joint effusion, and cranial instability on examination. The most important clues are the sudden onset during exercise, swollen stifle, and abnormal cranial tibial movement, which strongly support cruciate injury.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this dog case supports the provided diagnosis, Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A 5-year-old Labrador retriever presents with acute hindlimb lameness after running.
  2. Clue 2: The owner reports the dog suddenly yelped and has been reluctant to bear weight since.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The affected stifle is swollen and the dog sits with the limb slightly extended.
  2. Clue 4: Orthopaedic examination reveals cranial instability of the tibia relative to the femur.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Radiographs show stifle joint effusion and early osteoarthritic change.
  2. Clue 6: Rupture of the major stabilising ligament of the canine stifle causes abnormal cranial tibial movement.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this dog case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.