Will a torn ligament heal?

[BadCon]

My female dragon has what I believe to be a torn or damaged ligament in her right rear leg. When the incident first happened there was some minor swelling above the knee and towards the hip area. However, it went down within a day or two, and the leg didn't appear to bother her. Upon a gentle examination, it didn't appear broken and there was no obvious sign of injury. I figured I would give her some time to heal before making a judgment call. The leg looks normal, and when she moves it forward it behaves fine. Its only when she tries to move it backwards and tuck it under her body that there is an issue...like whatever leverage was there before is now gone (ligament).
I believe she got her foot stuck in a piece of cage furniture I had added to the tank around the time of the injury. Her high activity level means she was probably constantly moving with the stuck foot and while she got free...hurt herself in the process. This is all a theory however, as I did not witness the incident. I did remove the cage item I though responsible, and I also padded her entire enclosure to aid in healing.
However ligament injuries in people take a long time to heal, I can only imagine what this would be like in a cold blooded animal. And if its completely torn, can it even be repaired? Can they do those types of surgeries on something this small?

As for her overall health, the leg issue hasn't impacted her life in the least. She still spends the majority of her day glass dancing and running around. Her appetite is as healthy as its always been.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh that is too bad about her leg. She will heal, but, since the ligaments do not have a rich blood supply they do take a lot longer. You can try soaking her daily, in a warm bath & letting her swim around a little bit. This is basically water therapy which can help to strengthen the muscles in & around the ligament that is injured.
Is she eating pretty well then?

Tracie

 

[BadCon]

Her appetite is good and her activity level is also good. I weighed her this morning, and she came out to 424g (18" long). Her average adult weight has been 420g, so she hasn't lost any weight since the leg injury.
Swimming sounds like a good idea. I give her regular baths, but she is not a fan of water...but I think its going to be a daddy knows best situation when it comes to swimming.

Thanks for advise!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes I know, that is rough if they don't like water. Maybe start with just a few times a week, & see if that helps her out & if she will tolerate it a decent amount.
That is good her appetite is pretty normal & she isn't losing any weight either.
Let us know how she is doing!

Tracie

 

[BadCon]

I compiled a few videos together to give you a better look at the leg. I'm still pretty convinced its a muscle or ligament injury, but a second opinion is always welcome. It is much better then it was when it first happened, and if you didn't see her walk, you'd think the leg was fine (no swelling, etc).
Walking on carpet, you can see how she can't quite tuck the leg under her body. On the smooth floor however, its pretty clear there is something wrong with it.