Just about every pet will face the need for surgery at some point during his or her lifetime. At Animal Hospital of Unionville we want you to know that when that time comes for your pet, we’re prepared to offer the best available veterinary surgical care, and with your pet’s safety and comfort in mind. We want you to know that when you bring your animal companion to us, they are in good hands. We operate under the highest standards of care, utilizing the most modern surgical protocols. At Animal Hospital of Unionville, we understand that surgery, no matter how routine, can be a stressful time for both you and your pet. That’s why we work so hard to make every procedure as stress-free as possible.
Our state-of-the-art surgical suite provides a clean, safe environment in which we provide a variety of comprehensive surgical services including routine spay and neuters, soft-tissue surgeries and orthopedic procedures. Occasionally, we refer our patients to specialists (board certified veterinary surgeons) to perform more complex operations. All patients are carefully monitored by our highly skilled veterinary staff before, during and after every procedure to ensure maximum safety and comfort. Following surgery, we will work with you to develop and implement an appropriate pain management plan to help your pet recover as comfortably as possible.
Soft Tissue Surgery
We are often called upon to perform soft tissue surgeries involving the gastrointestinal and urogenital systems as well as procedures on the skin, ears and eyes. For special situations we call on board certified veterinary surgeons who either come in to assist us or who accept referrals to their own clinics.
Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic surgery involves operations on the bones, joints and muscles. Most commonly we repair torn ligaments and broken or fractured bones.
Cruciate Ligament Repair
The cruciate ligaments are located in the knee joint. Excessive stress and weakness on the tissue can sometimes cause the ligaments to become over-stretched or torn. This happens mostly in middle-aged to older, larger dogs, but it can happen in all species, breeds and age groups. A common symptom of an injured cruciate ligament may involve sudden lameness on one hind leg, which can be so severe that the animal may avoid putting their paw on the ground.
There are several surgical techniques that help stabilize the joint and reduce the development of arthritis. As there is no case equal to another, there are no firm rules as to when and whether to perform the surgery. Every patient must be evaluated according to the individual circumstances.
Fracture Repair
Fractures are much less common in our practice than they were ten years ago. We see fewer car accidents, which was the cause of most broken bones in the past. Still, there are occasional cases where we must perform surgery to repair a fracture.
Unlike humans, who can wear casts to repair fractures, animals often require a surgical repair since casts do not immobilize the limb as well as they do in people. The different shape of animal legs causes most casts to slip off and the bones above the elbow and knee joint cannot be bandaged successfully. The treatment of choice in fractured bones is therefore the surgical stabilization of the fragments with the use of metal implants, screws, plates and pins. This is a very specialized field within veterinary surgery and we call in specially trained surgeons who perform these surgeries on our premises.
