Orthopaedic surgery is not something that every veterinary hospital is able to provide. We are lucky enough to have a number of veterinarians who have post graduate qualifications in Small Animal Surgery and have many years experience performing orthopaedic procedures. They are able to perform a wide variety of surgeries such as:
As well as our veterinarian’s competence, we also boast nurses who have special interests in surgery and surgical patient care. This means that your pet’s welfare is looked after every step of the way. Because of this high level of engagement, our surgical suites are excellently equipped with high end equipment that is serviced on a regular basis.
Even before the surgery begins, we ensure your pet is receiving the best type of pain relief available, usually in the form of an opioid like morphine, and possibly other drugs, through their intravenous drip. This means that pain relief is constantly being provided and your pet is as comfortable as possible. They will often receive prophylactic antibiotics at this stage also, and often blood tests are performed to ensure their internal organs are healthy and can handle an anaesthetic.
After surgery, we are proactive about getting your pet back on their paws. In some cases (including our most common orthopaedic procedure, the ruptured cruciate ligament), we are able to offer laser therapy and a rehabilitation program to get your pet moving again as quickly as possible. This has been proven to be beneficial, as for every day they don’t move, it takes them 3 days to regain that lost muscle strength. We can advise you on when and how to use cold compresses, massage, heat therapy and rehabilitation strategies. Sometimes stem cells can be used to aid the healing process.
For more information about orthopaedic surgery at our hospitals please contact us.