Lakeland Veterinary Hospital

 

"Caring for pets and the people who love them"

 
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~Orthopedic Surgery~

 
Orthopedic surgery refers to correcting bone and joint problems. There are many situations where surgery will help your pets quality of life. These include broken bones (fractures), damaged ligaments and conditions where the bone and cartilage do not grow correctly. We can manage a wide number of problems right here at the hospital. If the situations demands specialized care (such as spinal surgery or joint replacement surgery), we are able to refer your pet to the proper board certified specialist to treat the problem.

Leg fractures and ruptured knee ligaments are the most common orthopedic surgeries we perform. Most fractures are a result of accidents. Each fracture is unique and may require a number of techniques to help the bone heal.

Casts or splints can be used to treat some fractures, however, many fractures will not heal properly without surgery.

    
  Before surgery: On your right is the broken leg, on your left is the non-broken leg.   After Surgery: The bright white objects are surgical pins and wires used to repair the fracture.
   
Pins are a common method of fixing fractures. We use medical grade stainless steel pins that are inserted through the middle of the bone. This pin helps provide stability to the bone while the fracture heals. We will often incorporate pins with stainless steel wires to hold the broken pieces of bone together.

External fixators are devices that use steel pins, steel clamps, and carbon fiber rods to create a scaffold around damaged bones. These devices provide incredible strength, which allows the pet to use the broken bones while the damaged parts knit themselves back together. We will often use these devices alone, or in combination with other techniques to repair broken bones.

We will often incorporate advanced medical procedures, such as creating bone grafts, to help fractures heal quickly. At Lakeland Veterinary Hospital, your pet's comfort is also very important. We use pain medications in all orthopedic surgeries, and we incorporate advanced pain control methods, such as epidural pain control injections. We have found that keeping our patients as comfortable as possible leads to faster healing and makes your pet more comfortable during painful procedures.

Another area of interest with our hospital is fixing damaged knee ligaments. We perform many ligament repair surgeries each year. This surgery involves helping the body fix damage caused by tearing the ligaments that attach in the middle of the knee. With the proper techniques and care, we have found that dogs with this painful condition have tremendous benefit from surgery.

Hopefully your pet will not need any orthopedic procedures! However, if the need should arise, we make it our priority to provide the highest quality care. Our goal is to get your furry friend back on all four feet!
   

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