Surgical Services

As veterinarians we are trained in surgical principles and procedures. Over time we gain sufficient experience to address a wide variety of procedures ranging from elective surgeries such as spay (ovariohysterectomy) and neuters to more complex reconstructive cancer operations.  Although most of our procedures require general anesthesia, some are performed solely with local anesthesia +/- sedation. Many of these are done with the owner’s presence for support in maintaining calmness and reducing their pet’s anxiety.

As our pets are living longer than ever before, we are seeing more “geriatric” surgical indications ranging from dentistry to removal of benign and malignant tumors. Unfortunately the size of a tumor does not necessarily correlate to the severity of the problem. For example, a small tumor could look innocent but be highly malignant and metastatic. Similarly, a huge tumor may simply be benign and non-invasive. It is always important to make a cytological or histological diagnosis to establish a prognosis and surgical plan. In other words, a biopsy prior to surgery can give us a “road map” as to the tumor behaviour and probable outcome. Early detection is still important and can be best achieved by routine check ups.  We believe maintaining a proper schedule of check ups with your veterinarian would provide the earliest detection and resolution. If we see a pet on a regular basis we establish familiarity and can compare health trends and changes from our previous record documentation.

We deal with a group of surgical procedures that are emergency in nature and take immediate priority over our otherwise scheduled day. Typical examples include complicated dystocia leading to Caesarian Section, trauma including major lacerations/fractures, acute blood loss as with ruptured spleen, gastric bloat or torsion, and respiratory distress situations such as collapsed lung, diaphragmatic hernia etc.

We are trained to recognize and address a wide range of surgical procedures including elective, non-elective and emergency procedures.