No pet owner likes to think about the possibility of their pet needing surgery, but in some circumstances, an operation is the very best way of dealing with a health problem that is affecting your pet. There are all different types of pet surgery, from simple, straightforward procedures that can be performed in a minimally invasive manner, to more serious and even life-saving treatments.
Our knowledgeable, skilled and professional veterinary team has extensive experience in performing a wide variety of different pet surgeries right here at our full-service veterinary hospital in Ashburn, VA. We also have the option of bringing a board-certified surgeon to our premises who can perform those advanced procedures that require the hand of a specialist veterinary surgeon.
Common Types Of Pet Surgery
Whilst we can offer a fully comprehensive range of pet surgeries to meet the needs of your pet, there are some types of pet surgery that are more common than others. Some of the most frequent pet surgeries that we perform include the following:
Spaying and neutering tend to be the first things that owners think of when they consider pet surgeries. Spaying is usually used to refer to the process of removing the reproductive organs of females, while neutering is most often used for males, though it can be deemed a non-gender specific term. Whether you have a male or female pet, this process is very important. Not only will it help to reduce the number of unwanted animals in the country – something which is already a massive problem and the cause of countless pets being unnecessarily euthanized every year – but it can also have important health benefits for your furbaby. This includes eliminating and reducing the risk of certain cancers.
In females, spaying involves the removal of the uterus and ovaries. Since these are internal, the process for spaying is a little more complex and has a longer recovery than most neutering surgeries. Neutering involves removing the testes, which are normally located on the outside of your pet’s body unless undescended. Both procedures are usually carried out under general anesthetic to ensure that your pet remains still and is not in any discomfort.
Removal of a diagnosed mass
Finding an unusual lump, bump or growth on your pet can be a scary prospect. Fortunately, not all discoveries of this nature necessarily mean cancer and there can be many benign growths that still require prompt veterinary treatment to remove them and alleviate the symptoms that your pet has been experiencing. Often a small biopsy is needed in order to make an accurate diagnosis and then, if needed, the mass can be removed surgically by our expert team. If any further treatment is required, this can then be provided. Mass removal is usually an extremely safe and low-risk form of surgery, and most pets go on to make a full recovery.
Exploratory surgery
Making a diagnosis isn’t always straightforward. Since our pets cannot tell us what hurts and give us important information about their symptoms, we have to undergo a process of elimination to determine what is ailing them. In some cases where it is impossible to tell exactly what is happening inside an animal’s body, exploratory surgery may be needed. This involves minimally invasive surgery during which a camera on a thin tube is passed into your pet’s body. The camera will send back real-time video imaging so that we can take a closer look inside his body, enabling us to make a far more accurate diagnosis and recommend a suitable treatment.
Emergency surgery
Emergency surgeries can account for a large percentage of the procedures that we perform. As their name suggests, they aren’t planned but are carried out because of an emergency situation that has occurred that has led to an animal needing immediate surgery to treat an urgent problem, or in some cases, to save their life. The following represent a few of the most common types of emergency surgery that we perform:
Emergency cesarean to deliver a female animal’s babies.
Surgery to remove a foreign object from a pet’s throat or digestive tract.
Surgery resulting from your pet being hit by a car. The exact nature of this surgery will depend on the injuries that your animal has sustained.
Treating bloat, a very serious condition during which the animal’s stomach has become filled with fluid and gas, causing it to become twisted.
Surgery to stop internal bleeding, such as when an animal is attacked by another creature.
Treatment for a serious infection, such as pyometra, a deadly uterine infection.
Amputations in the event of serious injury.
In situations such as these, we will keep you as informed as possible before and after the surgery.
If you have further questions about pet surgery, or if you would like an appointment to have your precious pet assessed by our expert surgical team, please contact Goose Creek Veterinary Hospital in Leesburg, VA so that we can arrange a consultation 703-777-5755.
