Our Surgical Services
Advancements in veterinary care mean surgical procedures are safer than ever before and, in most cases, recovery time for your pet is significantly reduced. We provide the most up-to-date pain management protocols, advanced monitoring equipment, and the safest anesthesia available, all under the supervision of our veterinarians and trained veterinary technicians.
Surgery
Whitesburg Animal Hospital understands that surgery is not an easy experience for you or your pet. We ensure your pet's surgical procedure is as comfortable and stress-free as possible by providing our clients a clear understanding of why a procedure is necessary, the details of the procedure, and any other information you feel you may need regarding that procedure.
We are staffed by a team of experienced veterinarians and veterinary technicians who provide a wide range of surgical procedures. We go beyond spaying and neutering and perform orthopedic, soft tissue, laparoscopic, and specialty surgeries.
Orthopedic – These surgeries are of particular importance as the conditions they treat are common to our pets. These include procedures such as fracture repair, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, patellar luxation repair, femoral head ostectomy surgery, and osteochondritis (OCD) of the shoulders and elbow surgery. We also perform stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis surgery.
Soft Tissue – These surgeries include exploratory, intestinal resection, liver lobectomy, cystotomy, gall bladder removal, tumor removal, and general surgery.
Laparoscopic – As in human medicine, this is an area of real potential for making the surgery process easier for your pet. This is a minimally invasive surgery technique that passes a camera and special instruments into the abdomen through two to three small incisions not much larger than a pencil eraser. This surgery technique is less disruptive to the body cavity and muscles, shortening recovery time and making your pet more comfortable through reduced pain. This technique is used to visualize the organ and obtain biopsy samples from the best possible location. Minimally invasive surgery is also used for performing exploratory, cystotomy (bladder surgery), routine spay, gastric rotation/volvulous prevention and many other procedures.
Specialized Surgery – Our veterinarians are trained in performing eye surgery and other cosmetic laser surgeries when indicated for declawing, growth removal, soft palate resection, and others.
Anesthesia & Monitoring
Anesthesia and cardiovascular monitoring are essential in every surgery. We provide the most advanced anesthetic administration and cardiovascular monitoring protocols available to your pet.
Anesthesia for each pet is unique, based on his or her age, breed, previous reactions to anesthesia, preexisting conditions, blood tests, and the procedure being performed. While your pet is under anesthesia for surgery, his or her heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and arterial oxygen level is constantly monitored by a veterinary technician using our advanced monitoring devices.
Pain Management
Pain management is essential for a less stressful surgery and a quicker recovery. Premedication and post medication are used in all surgical situations and will vary by each procedure. We frequently send pain management medications home with you when your pet is discharged from surgery.
If you have any further questions regarding our surgical services, do not hesitate to contact us. We also recommend reviewing the American College of Veterinary Surgeons website at www.ACVS.org for general information about surgical procedures.