Vet Surgery in Fort Collins
We offer a wide range of surgical procedures for cats and dogs at our Fort Collins clinic, following stringent surgical procedures.
During each surgery, a nurse will be assigned to administer anesthesia and monitor your pet using electronic patient monitoring equipment. Pain management will also be given to ensure your pet's comfort.
Post-operative monitoring and pain management are our priorities following surgery. Your vet will also provide thorough instructions for at-home care.
What to Expect from Surgery
We always keep you fully informed about why we are recommending a surgical procedure and regarding any post-operative care your pet will need at home. We practice stringent surgical protocols at our clinic.
Surgical Procedures
At South Mesa Veterinary Hospital, we perform medical and emergency surgeries to help treat disease and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.
Our Fort Collins vets routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:
- Soft Tissue Surgery
If your pet is suffering from a condition of the ear, nose, or throat, our vet can perform a soft tissue surgical procedure to resolve the issue.
These procedures are also available for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders.
- Spaying & Neutering
When we spay or neuter a cat or dog, we surgically sterilize them ensuring they can not reproduce and prevent disease and provide them with an extended life expectancy.
- C-Sections
During Caesarean sections, we 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
If your pet is experiencing pain, redness, or other symptoms in or around their eyes, they may need ocular surgery.
Common ocular procedures for cats and dogs include eyelid tumor removal, cataract surgery, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery, exenteration of the orbit, and cherry eye surgery.
If your cat or dog requires a veterinary surgical specialist to perform the surgery, our veterinarians will refer you to a pet surgeon near Fort Collins and work closely with your animal surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care.
- Foreign Body
Sometimes, foreign objects are ingested or can get 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.
In some cases, specialized skills or equipment are needed to perform pet surgery. If that is the case for your animal, your vet will refer you to a cat or dog surgeon near Fort Collins and work closely with your veterinary surgeon to ensure that your dog or cat receives the very best care.
- Wounds
Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged.
These wounds must be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately cared for by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible.
- Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic surgeries correct injuries and diseases of the bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other skeletal structures in your pet. If your dog or cat is suffering from a condition or injury that requires advanced specialized care your vet will refer your dog or cat to an orthopedic veterinary surgeon near Fort Collins.
- Dental Surgery
Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats. These surgeries can range from tooth extractions to gum disease treatment and jaw fracture repairs.
The Surgery Process
We understand that the prospect of bringing your pet in for surgery can be frightening. Please be assured that we recommend surgery only when it is in the best interests of your beloved pet.
We will ensure that you fully understand why we feel that surgery is the best option and that you are comfortable deciding to proceed.
If your pet requires advanced care, our vets will refer you to a veterinary surgeon near Fort Collins, and work closely with your vet surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care.
Surgical protocols at our clinic include:
Pre-surgical assessments. We will confirm the specifics of the procedure, complete a physical examination of the patient, and make sure blood tests have been completed and reviewed by the vet to determine if your pet faces any risk of anesthesia-related complications.
Anesthesia monitoring.We use advanced equipment to monitor your pet's status during the procedure, including SPO2 to track saturation of oxygen, ETCO2 to assess end-tidal carbon dioxide, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to detect blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and auscultation (sounds within the lungs, heart, and other areas of the body).
CardioPet through IDEXX.This pre-operative diagnostic screening is performed with an ECG, then reviewed by a board-certified cardiologist.
Dedicated surgical suites. Surgeries are performed in a dedicated surgical suite. This room is kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.
Surgical attire. Our staff wears disposable caps and masks at all times when they are in the surgical suite. Those involved in the procedure itself will also wear sterile gowns and single-use gloves.
Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment before every surgery.