Surgical

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.

TPLO is a specialty surgery that Dr. Patin performs. It is performed on dogs to stabilize the stifle (or knee) joint after a rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (which is like the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in people).

In most dogs, the cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) ruptures as a result of long-term degeneration and or traumatic injury to the ligament and results in pain and instability of the knee joint.

Genetic factors can contribute to the likelihood of this disease and are most common in certain breeds such as Labradors, Rottweilers, Boxers, West Highland White Terriers and Newfoundlands. Other factors such as obesity, individual conformation, hormonal imbalance and certain inflammatory conditions of the joint may also play a role.  If left untreated CrCL rupture can lead to long-term arthritis and degenerative joint disease (DJD).

The two bones that make up the knee joint are the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone).  In a TPLO procedure, the tibial plateau, which is the portion of the tibia adjoining the stifle, is cut and rotated so that the slope is decreased to prevent the femur from sliding down the slope of the tibial plateau when the dog puts weight on its knee. The result is a more stable joint with faster recovery times compared to other surgical procedures to stabilize the knee.  Most dogs (over 90%) are expected to regain a very active and athletic lifestyle with no post-operative complications and without the need for any long-term, pain-relieving medications.

If your pet has been diagnosed with CrCL injury, please schedule a consultation for more information.