Surgical Services for Dogs & Cats
At Animal Hospital of Milton, our veterinarians take great pride in their ability to perform various surgeries that will help make your dog or cat healthier and happier.
Many people think of veterinary surgery as spays and neuters. While these are very commonly performed procedures, vets also provide many other important surgical services. These vary from tumour removal, orthopedics, anatomical corrections, and even cosmetic procedures.
Similar to human hospitals, surgeries are performed in a sterile environment with specialized lighting and instruments. During each veterinary surgery, we administer anesthesia so that your companion is comfortable and we continuously monitor them using electronic patient monitoring equipment. Once surgery is complete, post-operative monitoring and pain management are our top priorities.
We will always keep you fully informed about why we are recommending a surgical procedure and regarding any post-operative care your cat or dog may need at home.
Keeping Your Dog or Cat Comfortable with Anesthesia
It is important that pets be afforded the benefit of anesthesia for painful or stressful procedures. Our equipment uses the latest technology, allowing us to provide safer sedation options than previously possible.
Our patients tend to experience fewer effects of the sedation once the procedure is complete. Even senior patients often do better with these new advances. During any anesthetic procedure at our hospital, our staff will both administer the anesthetic drug and monitor your dog or cat carefully throughout. Our veterinarians and technicians take great care with our anesthetized patients, both during and after the anesthesia.
Surgical Procedures
At Animal Hospital of Milton, we perform surgeries to help treat diseases and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.
Our Milton veterinarians routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:
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Soft Tissue Surgery
Soft tissue surgery can refer to any number of procedures for the ears, nose, and throat, as well as mass removals and treatment of wounds. Almost all surgical procedures not covered under the heading of 'orthopedic surgery' can be considered soft tissue surgery.
Soft tissue surgery also includes procedures for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders.
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Spaying & Neutering
Spaying and neutering are some of the most common veterinary surgeries. They are performed to sterilize pets, prevent disease, and provide dogs and cats with an extended life expectancy.
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C-Sections
During a Cesarean section, we surgically remove puppies or kittens from their mother's uterus. C-sections are typically performed when the mother is unable to give birth naturally.
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Ocular Surgery
If your pet is experiencing severe pain, redness, or other symptoms in or around their eyes, ocular surgery may be required.
Common ocular procedures for cats and dogs include eyelid tumour removal, cataract surgery, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery, exenteration of the orbit, and cherry eye surgery.
If the damage to your cat or dog's eye is too severe, they may require specialized care. In this case, we will refer your dog or cat to a veterinary surgeon and work closely with them to ensure that your companion receives the highest standard of care every step along the way.
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Wound Repair
Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged. These wounds need to be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately sutured by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible in order to avoid infection and other complications.
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Dental Surgery
Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries to relieve pain and restore good oral health to dogs and cats. These surgeries can range from tooth extractions to gum disease treatment.
The Surgery Process
Before any surgery, we will complete a thorough pre-surgical assessment. This includes a physical examination of your pet as well as blood tests to determine if they face any risk of anesthesia-related complications.
During each surgery, a dedicated nurse will administer anesthesia and continuously monitor your pet using electronic patient monitoring equipment. Pain management will also be provided.
Post-operative monitoring and pain management are our priorities following surgery. Your veterinarian will also provide thorough instructions for at-home care.
Sterilization Protocols
Surgical protocols at our clinic include a dedicated surgical which is cleaned and sterilized daily to prevent infection and cross-contamination. All of our surgical attire and instruments are sterilized in-house, or we use hospital-grade, single-use equipment.
While we do our best to be responsible stewards of the environment, we recognize that, when needed, single-use sterilized surgical equipment sometimes provides the best safety and efficacy for our patients.