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SURGERY

Overview

River Heights Veterinary Clinic provides a wide variety of surgical procedures ranging from routine neuter to more advanced orthopedic and soft tissue procedures. We routinely schedule between 40 to 50 procedures Monday through Friday at our hospital. We encourage our clients to check their pets in the afternoon or evening prior to surgery to allow us to perform a comprehensive examination, fast (withhold food) the pet, and perform pre-anesthetic blood testing to identify any potential risk prior to the procedure.

Each morning a surgical team (doctor and surgical technician) organize their day to begin between 8:30-9:00 AM. Each pet receives a pre-anesthetic sedative approximately 30 minutes prior to the procedure.

Patients then receive a short (intravenous) acting anesthetic which allows for intubation and maintenance anesthetic via oxygen and an inhalant anesthetic (Isoflurane).

Patients are clipped and prepped outside the surgical suite. When ready for surgery, they are moved onto a heated surgical table, placed on an anesthetic monitor and prepared for surgery.

The surgeon will be dressed in a sterile gown, cap, and mask to minimize the risk for infection. Sterile drape material is used over and around the surgical site and sterile instruments are provided depending on the type of the procedure.

It is not uncommon to open 5-8 special instrument packs for orthopedic or advanced abdominal procedures. The veterinary technicians sole responsibility is the well being of the surgical patients and continually monitors
each patient as the day progresses.

Pre and post operatively all patients receive pain killing medication (analgesic). Our technician staff monitors recovery from anesthetic either in our Intensive Care Unit or in the surgical ward.

Many of our surgical patients return home that same day. However, we feel our younger (neuters & declaws) patients benefit from an extended rest to prevent postoperative complications from over exertion if they return home to soon.

PROCEDURES OFFERED

Many clients are surprised at the number of more detailed or advanced procedures we perform.

Soft Tissue and Oncology Surgery

    Gastrointestinal - include intestinal resection, foreign body removal, feeding tube placement, gastopexy
    Urogenital - bladder stones, bladder tumors, nephrectomy, urethral surgery
    Hernia repair
    Thyroid removal
    Oral surgery
    Resection of invasive tumors
    Management of ear diseases
    Splenic surgery
    Eye surgery

Orthopedic Surgery

    Open and closed fracture repair
    Cruciate ligament repair
    Correction of patellar luxation
    Femoral head /neck excision

Endoscopic Surgery
    Colonoscopy and biopsy
    Gastroscopy
    Foreign body removal

Nutritional Surgery
    Feeding tube placement
    (Esophagostomy and Gastrostomy)

Diagnostic Surgery
    Ultrasound or x-ray guided biopsy
    Exploratory surgical biopsies
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