Common Procedures
Soft Tissue Surgery
Spays and neuters, abdominal, thoracic and orthopedic surgery; a complete range of services available. Contact us for details.
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Orthopedic Surgery
We stay up to date on current techniques and are well-equipped to handle fractures, luxating patellas, ruptured cruciate ligaments and many other bone and joint problems.
A common disease in dogs that often times requires orthopedic surgery is Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease. This disease is characterized by the failure of the cranial cruciate ligament resulting in instability in the stifle joint. A dog will often restrict it’s affected legs to a partial bent position when standing. The severity varies depending upon a number of factors; however, all dogs are susceptible with larger breeds and obese canines at increased risk. In order to diagnose, your veterinarian will perform a number of tests to assess the severity of the disease and to determine what method of treatment is best and whether or not surgery may be required.
Other Types of Surgery
Please speak with your veterinarian about additional surgeries for your pet.
Anesthesia
Only safe, modern anesthetics are used, and every patient is on monitoring equipment and is watched closely.
Surgery FAQ
My pet had surgery, what should I watch for with the incision?
The incision should be clean and dry with no discharge. There will be a slight amount of swelling, but not so much that the skin has swollen around the sutures. The area around the sutures should be pink and possibly a bit bruised, but not beet red. Please call or make an appointment to come in if you still have concerns or questions about the incision.
Does my pet need pain control (analgesics) when he has surgery?
We do recommend some kind of pain medication with most surgeries. Studies have shown that pets given pain medication post operatively heal faster, eat sooner, have fewer infections, and are much less stressed than pets that don’t receive pain medication. Frequently they only need the pain medication given while here in the hospital. Sometimes they need medication at home too. If you are concerned that your pet may be in pain, the doctor will make a recommendation for pain control for your pet.
Why does the hospital recommend blood testing before procedures requiring anesthesia?
Just as your doctor would have you get a blood test before undergoing anesthesia, we do the same for pets. This simple blood test allows us to evaluate your pet’s basic physiologic condition and will let us know if we need to take extra precautions with your pet. If test results are within normal ranges, we can proceed with confidence, knowing anesthetic risk is minimized. But if results are not within normal ranges, we can alter the anesthetic procedure, or take precautions to reduce the risk of potential complications. It may indicated that we should avoid a procedure altogether until a discovered problem can be corrected.
Why does my pet need an IV Catheter (during anesthesia)?
An intravenous catheter is a device that allows for the rapid delivery of fluids and medications directly into the bloodstream. Although anesthetic emergencies are rare, when they occur an open line into the bloodstream can save precious minutes in the delivery of life-saving drugs. The catheter also allows for the delivery of fluids during the surgical procedure.
Why does my pet need IV Fluids?
The administration of intravenous fluids into the bloodstream helps maintain blood pressure and preserves health and function of vital organs such as the kidney and liver. It also keeps the patient hydrated when they haven’t been drinking for a while.
What is monitoring for?
We will monitor your pet’s heart rate, respiratory rate, and the level of oxygen in your pet’s blood during anesthesia to watch for any early warning signs of problems, so we can correct them before it becomes a problem.
How long should I fast my pet before surgery?
We recommend that your pet does not eat after midnight the night before they are admitted for surgery, dentistry, or any other anesthetic procedure. They may have access to water until they are admitted to the hospital.
Should I give my pet its regular medication on the morning of surgery?
Diabetics should be given ½ of their normal insulin dose on the morning of surgery. If your pet is taking antibiotics, pain medications or other daily drugs, go ahead and give them, and bring the medications with them so we can administer it while they are here in the hospital. Do not give any drugs that can prolong bleeding such as aspirin.