On March 1, 2026, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) published a retrospective study evaluating tibial plateau-leveling 

osteotomy (TPLO) performed with a novel 10-mm radial blade in small-breed dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease. 

The study, conducted at two veterinary referral hospitals between August 2022 and May 2025, 

included 50 stifles from small-breed dogs weighing less than 15 kg, a population for which standard TPLO equipment (typically 15–24 mm blades) is often overscaled.

Preoperative lameness scores averaged 3.2 ± 1.5 on a 5-point scale (0 = normal, 5 = non-weight bearing).

 At short-term follow-up (8–14 weeks), scores improved to 0.9 ± 1.0, and at long-term follow-up (≥6 months), 

further improved to 0.1 ± 0.3 (p < 0.001). Bone healing scores progressed from 1.5 ± 0.6 at short-term to 1.0 ± 0.0 at long-term evaluation,

 indicating complete radiographic union in all cases. Kinetic gait analysis performed on a subset of patients demonstrated progressive improvements in peak vertical force,

 vertical impulse, and symmetry indices over 24 weeks.

Owner-assessed outcomes (n = 40 stifles) were rated as "excellent" in 36 (90%) and "good" in 4 (10%).

 Complications occurred in only 3 stifles (6.0%), including two major complications (one implant failure requiring revision surgery, 

one surgical site infection) and one minor complication (seroma formation). All complications resolved without long-term morbidity.

Dr. David Rhys Treharne, who has published extensively on locking plate systems in small patients, 

commented in a related study: "Small-breed dogs present unique challenges in orthopedic surgery, 

including thinner cortices, smaller bone diameters, and reduced implant-bone interface area. 

The availability of appropriately scaled implants—including 1.5-mm and 2.0-mm locking plates and specialized TPLO blades—has dramatically expanded surgical options for patients weighing under 10 kg".

The 10-mm radial TPLO technique offers several advantages over extracapsular repairs, which remain common in small dogs due to cost considerations. 

While lateral fabellar suture techniques cost approximately 40% less than TPLO, recurrence rates of lameness at 12 months are three times higher (15% vs. 5%). 

The study authors conclude that for active small-breed dogs with CCL deficiency, TPLO using appropriately scaled equipment should be considered the gold standard, 

with excellent functional outcomes and acceptable complication rates.