Surgical Services for Dogs & Cats
At Castlegar Veterinary Hospital, we offer a variety of elective and non-elective surgical procedures to help maintain and restore good health for your pet.
Our team knows that the prospect of bringing your pet in for surgery can be frightening. Rest assured that we only recommend surgery when we feel it is in the best interests of your beloved pet.
We strive to ensure that owners fully understand why we are recommending a particular surgery for your pet and that you feel fully informed and comfortable making the decision to go ahead with the procedure.
Surgical Procedures
At Castlegar Veterinary Hospital, we perform medical and emergency surgeries to help treat disease and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.
Our Castlegar veterinarians routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:
- Soft Tissue Surgery
Soft tissue surgery covers a range of ear, nose, and throat procedures as well as mass removals and treatment of flesh wounds. Almost all surgical procedures not covered under the heading of orthopedic surgery may be considered soft tissue surgery.
Soft tissue surgery also includes procedures for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders.
- Spaying & Neutering
Spaying and neutering are very common surgical procedures performed to sterilize pets, prevent disease, and provide dogs and cats with an extended life expectancy.
- C-Sections
Cesarean sections are performed to surgically remove puppies or kittens from their mother's uterus. C-sections are typically performed when the mother is unable to give birth naturally.
- Ocular Surgery
Ocular surgery is performed to treat eye conditions in dogs and cats. Common ocular surgeries include eyelid tumour removal, cataract surgery, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery, exenteration of the orbit and cherry eye surgery.
- Mass Removal
Masses can also grow on or just under the skin or inside a body cavity. While some masses may be removed for aesthetic purposes, other masses can be serious or even life-threatening.
- Foreign Body Removal
Sometimes, foreign objects are ingested by pets and become stuck inside a cat's or dog's body. Whether your pet has eaten an object they shouldn't have or an accident has left them injured, we can perform foreign body surgery to remove it.
- Wound Repair
Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged. It's imperative that these wounds be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately cared for by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible in order to avoid infection and other complications.
- Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopaedic surgeries correct injuries and conditions of the bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other skeletal structures in your pet.
If your pet requires an advanced procedure, we will refer you to an experienced board certified orthopedic surgeon.
- Dental Surgery
Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries to relieve pain and restore good oral health to dogs and cats. These surgeries include tooth extractions and gum disease treatment.
The Surgery Process
Before any surgery, we will complete a thorough pre-surgical assessment.
This assessment includes a physical examination of your pet as well as blood tests to determine if they face any risk of anaesthesia-related complications.
During surgery, a dedicated nurse will administer anaesthesia 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 dedicated surgical suites which are kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.
Our staff wear sterile attire at all times when they are in the surgical suite.
We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment prior to every surgery.