At Sequoyah Animal Hospital our veterinary team offers routine spay or neuter surgeries as well as a variety of therapeutic surgeries. We understand no matter the surgery, the decision to allow your pet to undergo a procedure is never easy. To that end, we are happy to answer any questions regarding your pet’s surgery. In fact, a pre-surgical consultation is an essential part of the process. Our medical staff is happy to provide you with information on postoperative care to ensure a rapid return to your pet’s happy, healthy self.
You can have confidence the veterinarians and the entire staff at Sequoyah Animal Hospital will work hard to ensure each procedure is thorough, done with the utmost expertise, and is as stress-free as possible for you and your pet.
Some of the therapeutic surgeries we perform include:
- Cystotomy: This procedure involves creating a surgical opening in the wall of the urinary bladder. It is most often used in the treatment of bladder problems, including the removal of bladder stones, tumors or clots. It can also be used to obtain a biopsy sample or to repair a rupture or severe trauma to the bladder.
- Enucleation: This procedure involves removal of the entire eye. It is most often used for pets who experience painful glaucoma, severe eye trauma, or malignant cancer of the eye.
- Laceration/Abscess Repair: Surgery is sometimes needed to repair a swollen area or wound.
- Mass Removals: We can perform surgical removal of abnormal growths or masses that can occur anywhere on a pet’s body.
Our Facilities
Sequoyah Animal Hospital’s surgical facility ensures procedures are as safe and efficient as possible. Veterinary technology is rapidly advancing, and these advancements, combined with our expertise, greatly reduce the risk for complications and allow us to perform surgical procedures quickly and accurately.
Pre-Surgery Exam
Before your pet undergoes any surgical procedure, a thorough examination takes place. This exam includes a pre-surgical blood screen, which, along with your pet’s anesthetic history, breed, preexisting conditions and age, will be used to determine a unique anesthesia protocol. These tests have the added benefit of establishing a baseline for the comparison of future blood tests, should your pet require any.
Anesthesia
Your pet’s unique anesthesia plan is customized based on his or her overall health, age, and the specific surgical procedure involved. Anesthesia is required for most surgical procedures. While under anesthesia, your pet is continuously monitored by our surgery technician and specialized anesthesia monitoring technology. Your pet’s blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and oxygen level are all tracked during surgery.
Pain Management
Just as with humans, pain has many negative effects on pets that can go beyond physical discomfort. Pain after surgery can slow healing and worsen diseases like arthritis – and because our companion friends don’t understand why they are experiencing pain, pain can cause behavioral issues and interfere with the bond between you and your pet.
This is why the veterinarians at Sequoyah Animal Hospital utilize a multimodal approach to best meet your pet’s pain management needs. We use a combination of local nerve blocks, injections, patches, and oral or topical anesthetics, pain relievers, and sedatives based on a number of factors determined by the pre-surgery exam and during the procedure.
Postoperative Care
The amount of time your pet will need to be monitored after surgery varies. In some cases, animals will need to be monitored overnight; in others, they can be sent home the same day. When your pet is discharged, your veterinarian will provide you with a customized postoperative care plan that will include information on proper home care after surgery. Often, your pet will be prescribed medication; in this case, we will explain how and when to administer it. We will also be available to answer questions after your pet arrives home.
Contact us at (423) 332-0979 with any questions or concerns following surgery and we will be more than happy to help you.