If your pets get sick or exhibit unusual behavior, a visit to the vet is mandatory. After some evaluation, your vet may stress the need for pet exploratory surgery. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, certain parameters qualify your pet for exploratory surgery. If you want to understand when a pet exploratory surgery is needed, here’s what you need to know.
Foreign Body Obstruction
Animal behaviorists say that pets usually satisfy their curiosity through their mouths. Because of this, they tend to ingest a cast range of objects from unnoticeable needles to bulky plush toys. As a busy pet owner, you cannot see what your pet plays with all the time. It is only when your pet vomits or becomes lethargic that you know there is something wrong. To support the lab tests, your pet will have an X-ray. An image of your pet’s abdomen will tell your veterinarian that your pet has ingested something other than food. If this object is obstructing your pet’s digestive system, your vet will remove it through exploratory surgery.
Abnormal Lab Results
If your pet is not feeling well, your vet will subject your pet to a series of diagnostic tests to determine the changes in your pet’s organ systems. Pets can eat small objects that do not obstruct their digestive system. Instead, these objects stay in your pet’s digestive system and slowly deteriorate in it. As the object disintegrates inside your pet, your pet’s chemical balance changes. A high white blood cell count or a low red blood cell count, accompanied by a positive ultrasound or X-ray will tell your vet that exploratory surgery is imperative. Removing a coin or a metal nut from your pet’s intestines or stomach will help bring your pet’s health back to normal.
Biopsies
There are occasions when your pet presents signs and symptoms related to abnormal growth from inside the abdomen. The growth may be in any of your pet’s vital organs. An ultrasound or X-ray confirming the presence of a cyst is not enough. Your veterinarian will perform a pet exploratory surgery to take a sample of the growth. A biopsy of the tissue sample will inform you and your vet whether the cyst is cancerous or not.
Tumor Extraction
Your vet can discover a cyst or a tumor inside your pet during a routine checkup. The tumor may also be the reason behind your latest pet visit. To remove the unwanted growth, your vet will subject your pet to exploratory surgery. If the abnormal growth is benign but is causing your pet much discomfort, the surgery can help. For malignant growths, an exploratory surgery can elevate the cancer treatment.
The American Welfare Society emphasizes that all animals should receive proper health care. Performing a pet exploratory surgery can improve or even extend your pet’s life. We, at Goose Creek Veterinary Hospital, are always ready to provide high-quality pet healthcare whenever your pet needs it. Please feel free to enter our clinic doors in Ashburn, Virginia, for a one-on-one consultation. You are also welcome to call us at 571-444-8600 if you want to schedule an appointment or ask questions about our pet exploratory surgery.
