Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Veterinary & Aquatic
Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith  The knee is prone to a
number of injuries as any football player will tell you. One of
the most common knee injuries in dogs is a ruptured cruciate
ligament.  Knee anatomy  The knee is a joint that is formed by
three bones: Femur (the long bone extending down from the hip);
Tibia (the bone between the knee and ankle); and Patella (the
kneecap). These bones are joined together by a number of
ligaments, which are tough fibrous bands of tissue. Two
ligaments crisscross in the joint from the femur to the tibia
and are called cruciate ligaments (cruciate means cross). The
one towards the front of the leg is called the anterior cruciate
ligament and the one crossing behind it is the posterior
cruciate ligament. These ligaments prevent the ends of the femur
and tibia from moving back and forth across each other.  Normal
Knee Anatomy  A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Ruptured Anterior Cruciate w/