The cruciate ligament may sound like a scary name for a collection of fibrous tissue that is located in the knee, but just like us humans, dogs have them too, and they can cause them pain if damaged or injured. Seeing our dogs in some kind of pain is never a nice situation, and can cause stress for owners and dogs alike. So, what is the cruciate ligament in a dog? And what are the symptoms of a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Let’s take a look.