Surgical Procedures

Our full-service facility operates with two surgical bays and two pre-operative anesthesia suites. It is active five days a week with two veterinarians and four registered animal health technicians working as a team to perform both routine and advanced surgical procedures. All surgical patients are maintained on intravenous fluids throughout their procedure to maintain proper hydration and blood pressure during anesthesia. Intra-operative pain medications are given on the direction of the attending surgeon. We always strive to put our patient’s comfort level as one of our top priorities.

Below is a list of some of our most common surgical procedures:

• Spay (ovariohysterectomy)

• Neuter (orchidectomy)

• Abdominal surgery (laparotomy, enterotomy, gastrotomy, splenectomy, bladder surgery, caesarian section and others)

• Laceration repair

• Eye surgery (enucleation, third eyelid prolapse)

• Ear surgery (aural hematoma repair, lateral ear canal resection)

• Lumpectomy

• Orthopedic procedures (fracture and cruciate ligament repair)

Surgical Recovery

All patients are recovered from surgery in warm bedding on a heated floor. A variety of post-operative medications will be used to prevent short and long term pain upon recovery. Every animal’s situation will be different and a pain control protocol will be customized for each patient.

Our caring registered veterinary technicians will monitor and provide nursing care for all surgical patients until they are released from the hospital.

Things to Consider When Inquiring About Surgery for Your Pet

Spay & Neuter

Spaying or neutering your pet can help them live a longer, healthier life, minimize behavior problems, and help control the population of unwanted dogs and cats.

Overview

Spaying females or castrating males eliminates unwanted litters, which contribute to thousands of euthanasia procedures and millions of stray animals. Additionally, these procedures can minimize behavior problems and help your pet live a longer, healthier life by reducing the likelihood of certain cancers and tumors.

When should I have my pet spayed or neutered?

In general, we recommend spaying or castrating small dogs and cats as early as 6 months of age. With medium and large breed dogs, we often recommend delaying the surgery until they are over 12 months of age. Your Veterinarian will recommend an appropriate age.

Why should I have my pet spayed or neutered?

There are many benefits that come with spaying your female companion animal. They include helping to control the stray dog and cat population, eliminating the sometimes 'messy' heat cycles that attract male dogs, and preventing diseases in your pet such as pyometra (infection in the uterus) and mammary cancer. Additionally, research has shown that spayed pets live longer than pets that have not been spayed.

There are also many benefits that come with castrating your male companion animal. These benefits include helping to control the stray dog and cat population, eliminating undesirable and embarrassing behavior, and preventing diseases in your pet such as prostate disease and testicular cancer.

How is a spay or neutering surgery performed?

Spaying, also called an "ovariohysterectomy," is a surgical procedure in which both ovaries and uterus are completely removed from your female pet while they are under general anesthesia. Castrating refers to the surgical procedure in which both testicles are removed while your male pet is under general anesthesia.

Before the operation, we will assess your pet to minimize risk. While your pet is under anesthesia we take individual care for the safety of each pet. Our certified technicians and doctors are trained in advanced monitoring to ensure your pet's comfort.

Your pet’s safety and comfort are our primary concerns when performing a spay or castration. We routinely use a IV catheter and fluids on canine spays and castrations, as well as feline spays. This is important for maintaining blood pressure and perfusion to the kidneys and other organs as well as allowing immediate IV access in the event of an emergency. We use advanced pain management techniques in conjunction with anesthesia to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible during the procedure and after they are discharged. Our spay and castration patients receive 2 or 3 different injectable pain medications during the procedure and usually go home with oral pain medication. We also perform local anesthetic blocks at the surgical site. Proper pain management makes the procedure as comfortable as possible and allows for faster recovery.