Surgery

Surgery can be a daunting word, but we’re with you and your pet every step of the way—from evaluation to anesthesia, and recovery to rehab. We provide comprehensive veterinary emergency and referral surgical care, all with a compassionate touch. 

Our elective referral surgeries are performed by board-certified veterinary surgeons or individuals who have completed their residency training. These surgeries include, but are not limited to: 

Orthopedic Surgery 

Orthopedic surgery encompasses a wide range of joint and bone surgery.  

Orthopedic procedures: 

• Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) or lateral fabellar suture for cranial cruciate ligament ruptures 
• Bone fractures 
• Bone tumors (amputations) 
• Arthrodesis 
• Patellar luxation repair 
• Elbow arthroscopy for medial coronoid disease 
• Femoral head ostectomy (FHO) 

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a type of surgery that allows for less discomfort and quicker recovery times for your pet. MIS is performed through several small incisions instead of one large incision. When the surgery involves a joint, the abdomen, or the chest, a small fiberoptic scope attached to a high-definition camera is inserted through one of the incisions to provide visualization of the surgical site, while instruments are passed through other incisions to perform the procedure.  

• Arthroscopy: Arthroscopy (or arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed under anesthesia. A tiny camera—just a fraction of an inch wide—is placed into a joint to address certain conditions with specialized instruments. Arthroscopy can be used as a stand-alone service, or to complement traditional procedures in addressing joint issues. 
• Laparoscopy: For this minimally invasive surgery, a laparoscope (camera) is inserted into the abdomen through a small incision. Laparoscopic procedures performed here at AVETS include liver biopsies and prophylactic gastropexy to prevent GDV (gastric dilatation-volvulus, aka bloat).
   

Neurosurgery 

Our team is available to evaluate, diagnose, and treat your pet’s symptoms of neurologic dysfunction, such as weakness, paralysis, back and neck pain, seizures, gait abnormalities, circling, and balance disorders. 

Neurosurgery Procedures: 

• Intervertebral disc disease 

Soft Tissue Surgery

Soft tissue surgery includes a variety of surgical treatments from foreign body removal to hernia repair to organ biopsies. 

Soft Tissue Procedures:  

• Abdominal exploratory surgery 
• Thoracic (chest) surgery 
• Tumor/mass removal 
• Hepatobiliary (e.g. liver shunt, cholecystectomy [gall bladder removal], removal of liver tumors) 
• Urogenital (e.g. cystotomy, perineal urethrostomy) 
• GI (e.g. intestinal biopsy, resection/anastomosis, splenectomy) 
• Respiratory (brachycephalic syndrome, laryngeal paralysis) 
• Laparoscopic procedures (prophylactic gastropexy, liver biopsy) 

We’ll need a referral appointment to evaluate your pet’s condition—including suitability for anesthesia—and to discuss surgical options and post-operative care.  

Experienced emergency veterinarians are on staff 24/7 (and backed up by board-certified specialists as needed) to perform emergency surgeries seen through the emergency service. These surgeries may address: 

• Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) or “Bloat” 
• Ingested objects (i.e. foreign body) 
• Exploratory abdominal surgery 
• Internal hemorrhage (e.g. splenic tumor) 
• C-section 
• Pyometra 
• Lacerations & penetrating wounds (e.g. dog bites, impalements) 

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