This news item is about: At three years old, Labrador Retriever “Pinky” Kramer experienced a waxing and waning lameness in her right leg over the course of about eight months. Her veterinarian at West Point Veterinary Clinic referred her to Cornell Orthopedic Services, where X-rays revealed bilateral cruciate disease in the stifle joints (equivalent to the knee in humans) and osteophytosis (bony remodeling). She had also torn her meniscus. This type of disease is common in dogs, particularly medium- and large-breeds like retrievers. Dr. Ursula Krotscheck, chief of Small Animal Surgery at Cornell University Hospital for Animals, points out a ruptured cruciate is the most common reason dogs are referred to Cornell for orthopedic surgery. “If we see a large-breed dog with hind leg lameness this is usually the first suspicion,” she says.