header-08

Safe, Competent Surgery

We are equipped to handle most routine surgeries at South Mesa. Knowing that some conditions require a specialist, we are partnered with board certified surgeons. Board certified veterinary surgeons have completed at least four years of additional training and their skills have been evaluated and recognized by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and sanctioned by the American Veterinary Medical Association. A board certified surgeon performs our most complicated surgical procedures.

Following surgery, continued care and monitoring are often necessary. For complete care, we are partnered with Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Emergency doctors will stabilize post-op patients, continually monitor for post-op complications and provide comfort and pain control. The hospital also has a pain management specialist on staff, who is always available for consultation. South Mesa will provide patient transport and facilitate communication through the recovery period.

img-surgery-1

All surgical procedures carry some degree of risk. At South Mesa, one of our main goals is to make this risk as low as possible. We do this by completing thorough physical examinations prior to surgery, performing pre-operative blood profiles, utilizing individualized anesthetic protocols and maintaining high quality anesthesia monitoring equipment.

LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. At South Mesa, we use a medical CO2 laser. It works by exciting low pressure CO2 gas and concentrating the beam through a surgical hand piece. The advantages of LASER surgery include: less pain (it seals nerve endings), less bleeding (it seals blood vessels), reduced risk of infection (the beam sterilizes as it cuts) and improved healing. Our doctors have the most experience in Northern Colorado with CO2 LASER surgery, with two of our doctors having used LASER for 14 years each.

We are highly sensitive to the comfort of our surgical patients. Each patient has their own pain management protocol that is age, breed and procedure appropriate. Many of the pain management options will be continued at home. Our veterinarians will often prescribe ice packs, physical therapy or oral pain medication to ensure a continued level of comfort.

Each patient is discharged with a written set of discharge instructions. This serves as an excellent source to answer frequently asked questions following most procedures. It also includes instructions to reach an “on-call” doctor from South Mesa. The “on-call” doctor can answer additional questions that may arise following surgery. This doctor is not on-sight and immediate emergencies are referred to the ER clinic.