Vet care pet parents can count on.
We can safely provide the most common routine and essential surgical services at our well-equipped hospitals. We utilize best practice approaches for premedication and anesthesia, monitoring, and IV therapy support, so they can get healthy and back to playing as soon as possible.
For more complex operations, we have an extensive referral network to help refer you to the best spets (board-certified veterinary surgeons) for you and your pet.
Anesthesia and patient monitoring varies greatly among clinics.
When you choose your veterinarian, be sure to question the types of anesthetics used and the protocols for monitoring anesthesia. Often the more expensive anesthetics are safer to use; however, anesthetics are also chosen for other reasons including their ability to control pain.
A local anesthetic causes a loss of sensation to a “local” area to control pain. Small surgical or diagnostic procedures may require a local anesthetic to perform. Some common procedures that require local anesthesia include biopsies, tooth extractions, and laceration repairs.
Tranquilization or sedation is used to calm an animal under various conditions. The animal remains awake or may “sleep” but is easily aroused when stimulated. Pet owners frequently request sedation for their animals during travel, thunderstorms, fireworks, etc. Sedation and tranquilization are not without risk and each animal should be assessed prior to dispensing these medicines.
A general anesthetic results in a loss of consciousness and a loss of sensation throughout the body.
Most general anesthetic procedures involve several steps beginning with the administration of a sedative. An intravenous injection of an anesthetic renders the animal unconscious while a breathing tube is placed into the animal’s trachea. A gas anesthetic is delivered in combination with oxygen to the animal via the breathing tube to maintain the state of unconsciousness.
Most anesthetics used in animals today are the same anesthetics used in humans. Although general anesthetics are significantly safer than they have been in the past, there is still the remote chance of an anesthetic accident. There are many ways to reduce the risk associated with anesthesia including a thorough physical examination and blood work prior to anesthesia. Intravenous catheters, IV fluids, anesthetic monitoring equipment and protocol can also contribute to a safer anesthesia.
During general anesthesia, our patients are monitored closely by a veterinary technician (nurse) for heart rate, respiratory rate, capillary refill time and blood pressure. A change in blood pressure is an early indicator that a pet may be running into trouble. Monitoring blood pressure, pulse, and respirations allows us to intervene earlier and prevent any anesthetic risk to your pet.
Orthopedic surgery refers to surgery involving the bones and associated structures.
There are many different situations where bone surgery may be necessary including leg fractures, hip dysplasia, disc disease, torn ligaments, etc. Most orthopedic surgeries can be performed at our clinic. Occasionally we refer our patients to a Board Certified surgeon to perform back surgery and other very complex surgeries.
Soft tissue surgery includes surgeries not associated with bone. Examples of soft tissue surgeries and their benefits are listed below.
Probably the most common soft tissue surgery performed at our clinic is the removal of masses or “lumps” on animals. Most of these masses or “lumps”, once removed and tested, are benign (non-harmful); however, occasionally they are more serious. Early removal and accurate diagnosis of a “lump” is necessary to improve the outcome in your pet if the mass is cancerous. Lacerations are also common in pets and suturing will reduce the chance of infection, improve healing time and reduce scarring.
Many breeds of dogs are susceptible to ear infections. With certain ear infections dogs or cats can develop an aural hematoma of the pinna (outer ear flap). This happens when a blood vessel bursts inside the pinna, usually secondary to scratching or shaking the head. Aural hematomas often require surgical repair in order for the ear to heal properly.
Tearing in your pet’s eyes can mean an infection is present or it may be a sign the cornea (outer layer of the eye itself) has been damaged. A damaged cornea may require soft tissue surgery to repair the cornea or eyelids so the eye can heal faster with less scarring. Less scarring will improve the ability of your pet to see. In some animals, the cornea (outer layer of the eye) may be damaged by the eyelid hairs surrounding the eye. Surgical intervention involving the eyelid improves the comfort in these animals. It also reduces the chances of corneal scarring and enhances the animal’s vision in the long term.
When a pet ingests an object they aren’t supposed to eat, surgery may be required to retrieve the object from the stomach or intestines. Once the object is removed, the intestines and stomach will heal and allow food to pass once again.
Some of our hospitals offer laser surgery for your pet.
A laser creates a specific tissue reaction depending on the wavelength of laser light it produces. For example, CO2 lasers emitting infrared light at 10,600nm, have an exceptional absorption by the water molecules normally found in soft tissue. This CO2 laser energy instantly vaporizes the intracellular water, vaporizing the cells, while leaving the surrounding tissue virtually unaffected. This action makes the CO2 laser the best choice for general soft tissue surgery by producing the following benefits:
Less Pain
CO2 laser energy seals nerve endings as it moves through tissue. As a result, the patient feels less pain post-operatively.
Less Swelling
CO2 laser energy seals lymphatic vessels. Additionally, because only a beam of invisible light contacts the tissue, there is no bruising or tearing of tissue. This reduced tissue trauma minimizes inflammatory responses, reducing swelling.
Less Bleeding
Laser energy seals small blood vessels as it cuts. When defocused, the laser becomes an effective coagulation device. Not only does the hemostatic cutting benefit the patient, it provides a clear, dry surgical field for the surgeon. Without bleeders continually obstructing the field, the overall procedure time may be decreased, and the visualization of the anatomy is unsurpassed.
Quicker Recovery
Decreased bleeding, swelling, and pain means the patient can return to normal activity and the home environment faster. This provides benefits for the patient, client and veterinarian.
Ablation
The unique ability of a CO2 laser to vaporize (ablate or “erase”) tissue sets it apart from any other surgical tool, even other lasers. With the proper tips and power settings, the CO2 Laser can be used to precisely remove tissue layer by layer, or to aggressively vaporize entire tumors.
