state-of-the-art surgery

Your Pets Will Receive State-of-the-Art Surgical Care

Don’t let our small-town location fool you. Our doctors and technicians are trained to handle surgeries from the most routine to the most difficult, and our facilities are state-of-the-art. Your pet will receive great care under the watchful eyes of people who truly care about them.

Anesthesia
Anesthesia

In order to maximize safety and comfort, our standard of care for all pets undergoing anesthesia or prolonged sedation includes:

  • A pre-surgical exam
  • Preemptive and multi-modal pain management
  • Anesthesia monitoring
  • IV surgical support
  • Pre-anesthetic blood-work

Your anesthetized pets each have their own fully trained and experienced certified veterinary technician (CVT) to monitor them during the anesthetic procedure. They continually evaluate patient anesthetic depth and vitals to ensure safety and comfort during surgical procedures. Our CVTs continuously use their own trained eyes, ears, and hands to monitor anesthesia and assess your pet. All monitoring equipment below aids them in that job:

  • Doppler Blood Pressure: Monitors heart rate, rhythm and blood pressure to assure delivery of oxygenated blood to all tissues during anesthesia.
  • ECG: Continuously displays electrical activity of the heart and warns if heart slows or becomes irregular, as well as monitoring breathing rate and rhythm.
  • Temperature: Helps ensure body heat is being maintained during surgery.

state-of-the-art surgical theater

Intravenous fluids are essential for safe, smooth, comfortable anesthesia. IV fluids help maintain blood pressure, which is critical for the health of vital organs like the heart, brain and kidneys. IV catheters provide instant access to the bloodstream in case lifesaving drugs are needed during a procedure. Finally, IV fluids prevent dehydration and help maintain homeostasis, which allows for a quicker, smoother recovery.

Elizabeth Animal Hospital requires the use of IV surgical support and anesthetic monitoring for all patients undergoing anesthesia.

We provide all of the following for a single charge:

  • IV catheter
  • IV fluids up to 500 ml
  • Doppler blood pressure and EKG

The amount of the charge represents a significant reduction in the standard fees and reflects our commitment to anesthetic safety for all of our patients.

The special care at Elizabeth Animal Hospital continues after surgery and anesthesia. Pets recovering from surgery are covered by a warm towel and given a hot-water bottle to help maintain their temperature. Pets don't thermo-regulate well when anesthetized.

labrador mother and pups after a C-section

Guidelines for Monitoring Canine Pregnancies and Deliveries

Most of the time nature takes a normal course and dogs have their puppies without our help. On occasion, whelping assistance is needed. Less often, a C-Section is necessary. This Labrador mother and her multi-colored pups are all doing fine after a successful C-section. Mom's belly will itch for a while, but that will go away.

It is important for you to know when assistance and/or a C-Section should be considered. Following are some of Elizabeth Animal Hospital's guidelines for your consideration:

  • Know the date your pet was bred. Gestation is 60-65 days in dogs.
  • Provide special nutrition for your pregnant dog. Her need for calories is greatly increased beginning on the day she is bred. Please contact us for our recommendations.
  • Closely monitor your pet near and on her due date.
  • Consider an X-ray within a week of her due date to get a close estimate of the number of puppies she is carrying, especially if this is her first litter.
  • Be available when she starts whelping to monitor her progress.
  • If she starts laboring and pushing and has not had her first puppy within 1 hour, YOU NEED TO BRING HER IN OR TAKE HER TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CENTER.
  • In between puppies, if she is pushing for more than 45 min without delivering, YOU NEED TO BRING HER IN OR TAKE HER TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CENTER.
  • In between puppies, if she goes more than 2 hours without pushing or delivering, YOU NEED TO BRING HER IN OR TAKE HER TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CENTER.
  • Intervention is recommended sooner rather than later.
  • Fetal stress adversely affects having a healthy litter.
  • We have available much improved anesthesia and monitoring in the circumstance where a C-Section is performed.

litter of persian kittens delivered by C-section

Guidelines for Monitoring Feline Pregnancies and Deliveries

Most of the time nature takes a normal course and cats have their kittens without our help. It is very rare that a cat would need whelping assistance or a C-Section, although these three Persian kittens were delivered with whelping assistance (they look a bit bedraggled now, just after delivery, but they'll be beautiful once they are cleaned up). It is important for you to know when assistance and/or a C-Section should be considered. Following are some of Elizabeth Animal Hospital's guidelines for your consideration:

  • Know the date your pet was bred. Gestation is 60-65 days in cats.
  • Provide special nutrition for your pregnant cat. Her need for calories is greatly increased beginning on the day she is bred. Please contact us for our recommendations.
  • Closely monitor your pet near and on her due date.
  • Consider an X-ray within a week of her due date to get a close estimate of the number of kittens she is carrying, especially if this is her first litter.
  • Be available when she starts whelping to monitor her progress.
  • If she starts laboring and pushing and has not had her first kitten within 1 hour, YOU NEED TO BRING HER IN OR TAKE HER TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CENTER.
  • In between kittens, if she is pushing for more than 45 min without delivering, YOU NEED TO BRING HER IN OR TAKE HER TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CENTER.
  • In between kittens, if she goes more than 2 hours without pushing or delivering, YOU NEED TO BRING HER IN OR TAKE HER TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY AND SPECIALTY CENTER.
  • Intervention is recommended sooner rather than later.
  • Fetal stress adversely affects having a healthy litter.
  • We have available much improved anesthesia and monitoring in the circumstance where a C-Section is performed.

the aesculight for laser surgery

Elizabeth Animal Hospital now offers laser surgery. We have found that laser surgery provides superior surgical benefits as opposed to the traditional use of scalpels. There is little to no collateral tissue damage. The ability for the operator to control the effect of the laser beam to the surgical field ensures no collateral damage and has led to the wide use of lasers in many areas of veterinary medicine.

  • There is less bleeding because the laser seals capillaries and small blood vessels. Surgical procedures that were not practical with conventional surgery are now feasible.
  • There is less pain. The laser beam seals nerve endings and lymphatics, resulting in less edema and pain. The patient experiences a far more comfortable post-operative recovery.
  • There is reduced risk of infection. The laser beam kills bacteria, producing a sterilizing effect.
  • Recovery time is much faster. Because there is a reduced risk of infection, less bleeding, and less pain and swelling, the patient has a quicker recovery after the surgery.
  • Because of the reduced bleeding, the visibility of the surgical field is enhanced, thus reducing surgical times.

ddalmation with laser machine

Surgical procedures that benefit from the use of lasers:

Wound debridement, tumor removal and debulking, issues with male and female reproductive organs, thyroidectomy, enterotomy, grafts, urinary issues, amputations, ophthalmology problems, oral surgery, dental surgery, ear canal polyps, and much, much more. The doctors can determine if any problem is a good candidate for laser surgery.

Emergency Surgeries

Emergency surgeries are required because your pet's life is in immediate danger. Following is a list of a few of the most common emergency surgeries performed by our veterinarians:

  • C-Sections
  • GDV—Gastric dilatation volvulus
  • Intestinal obstruction
  • Respiratory obstruction
  • Urinary obstruction
  • Locratic repair

Routine Surgeries

The veterinarians at Elizabeth Animal Hospital offer the following surgeries:

  • Neutering and Spays/Mass removals
  • Gastropecy

Specialty and Advanced Surgeries

Orthopedic Surgeries

orthopedic surgery

Fractures, ligament ruptures and dislocations are painful injuries that require proper surgical repair and pain management. We offer an extensive list of orthopedic surgeries to repair and stabilize these unfortunate injuries and give your pet their best chance for a full recovery. To the left is an X-ray of a repaired pelvis that had been badly fractured (read Repairing a Broken Pelvis below).

Additional surgeries that are performed at Elizabeth Animal Hospital include:

  • Cruciate Ligament Repair—traditional extracapsular repair (TPLD)
  • Fracture Repairs—wiring, pinning, external fixation, and bone plating
  • Medial and lateral patellar luxations
  • Carpal arthrodesis for hyperextension injuries
  • FHO—femoral head ostectomy

Elective Surgery (Spays, Neuters, Declaws)

One of our staff will call you the day before your pet's surgery to remind you of your appointment and the pre-surgery instructions. Do not give your pet any food, snacks, or treats after 8 p.m. the night before nor the morning of the surgery. Anesthesia often causes nausea and if your pet were to vomit during the procedure, the chance that some foreign matter could enter their trachea and cause respiratory problems or even death is high. Your pet can have water all night.

We take every precaution to ensure your pet's safety during surgery.

On Surgery Day

Please plan to leave your pet with us between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on the day of surgery. Plan to spend a few minutes on paper work and last minute details. Your pet's surgery technician will call and let you know when your pet is out of surgery and in recovery. The technician will meet with you at a predetermined time to pick up your pet, go over post-op care, and review your bill. This is usually between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. the same day.

What is Included in the Surgery Fee

  • IV fluid support: Maintains cardiovascular stability during surgery and recovery.
  • Anesthesia: Medications before and during the procedure to ensure as low a stress level as possible and allow surgery to be performed safely. Blood oxygen, blood pressure and ECG are monitored.
  • Fluoride Treatment: Fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and improve tooth wear.
  • Surgical Procedure: The surgery itself, recovery, hospitalization and care for the day.
  • Pain Management: Medication before, during and after the procedure to minimize your pet's discomfort, encourage healing and prevent licking of the surgery site. E-collars (lamp shade or Cone of Shame) will be provided.
  • For Cat Declaws: Post-operative bandages and a 2-night stay are included.

Description of Services

Comprehensive Physical Exam

Your pet will get a head-to-toe exam the morning of his or her surgery to ensure all is well prior to anesthesia. Our established pets (ones we've examined in the last 12 months) will not be charged for this service.

Pre-Anesthetic Blood Testing

Safety is provided beyond a physical examination and your observations at home with a panel to determine liver function, kidney function, blood cell counts and protein levels. Pets older than 6 months will require more complete bloodwork.

Baby Teeth Extraction

Our pets have baby teeth, too. Occasionally they will not fall out on their own.

Spay in Heat

When spayed, pets over six months old may be in heat causing a longer surgery time.

IV Catheter and Fluid Support

This service allows administration of intravenous medications as well as continuous drip fluid support during the procedure.

Cryptorchid

Male dogs may not have both testicles descended and additional surgery time is needed

Gastropexy

Large breed dogs have a high risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV); i.e., twisting of their stomach. This is a life-threatening situation that must be quickly corrected to have a chance of survival. While spaying your pet, we can surgically attach your pet's stomach to their body wall (gastropexy), thus preventing this from happening.

Dewclaws (dogs only)

These appendages serve no purpose in our canine pets, but they can get caught while running through undergrowth causing a painful wound. Consult with your doctor to decide if their removal is warranted. Price includes one recheck and one initial bandage and one bandage change

Microchip

This is a permanent identification in the form of a coded chip the size of a grain of rice. The microchip is placed under your pet's skin between the shoulder blades and most shelters and clinics now have scanners that can detect the chip and help you reunite with your lost pet. The fee includes implanting the chip, the chip itself, and the registration in your name.