Welcome to our surgery & dentistry section.  It is divided into the following parts.  Review at your leisure or click on the topic to jump there:

• Surgery
• Dentistry

  SURGERY

Before anesthesia and any surgical procedure, our doctors perform a complete physical examination on your pet.

In addition, we recommend a pre-surgical blood screening on all pets, just as your human doctor would do. It can detect many potential problems and increases the anesthetic safety for your pet.  Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required for all pets five years old and older.  All potential problems noted in the physical examination or the bloodwork result in a phone call to you and are thoroughly discussed at that time.

Other facts concerning surgical procedures performed at Claws & Paws Veterinary Hospital®:

• A warm water circulating heating pad is used for patients’ comfort

• A sterile instrument surgical pack is used for each patient

• Isoflurane gas is used during our surgical procedures. It is one of the safest anesthetic gases in use today

• A trained technician monitors the pet while in surgery

• Pain control is offered as an injection prior to the pet regaining consciousness and as an oral medication to be taken at home

• After surgery, all pets are monitored by our staff until fully awake and in stable condition

With all surgeries, including spays, a recheck and suture removal is included in the initial fee.

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The following list is typical of the surgeries performed at our hospital:

• General - Spay, Neuter, Declaw

• Emergency/Trauma

• Cosmetic - eyelid correction, skin grafts, tail docking, ear crops

• Soft Tissue surgeries (see below)

• Bone surgeries (see below)

More information on soft tissue and bone surgeries follows.

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Soft Tissue Surgeries

• Gastrointestinal (GDV, bloat, intestinal anastomoses)

• Bladder stone removal

• Skin grafts, anal gland resections, ear resections and ablations

• Thyroidectomies

• Perineal urethrostomies

Bone (orthopedic) Surgeries

• Fracture repair - IM pins, plates

• Cruciate and patella procedures

• FHO (femoral head ostectomies)

X-ray machine and In-house lab

These allow for state of the art monitoring for our patients. They also allow us to properly assess emergency patients.

While bloodwork allows us to detect certain diseases, x-rays also allow us to diagnose diseases in a non-invasive manner. X-rays allow us to visualize internal organs including the heart and lungs, and the musculoskeletal system, in both routine and emergency situations.

Pulse Oximeter

The pulse oximeter is a sensor clip placed on the tongue that gives the surgeon an audible heartbeat and also measures oxygen saturation of the blood during the surgical procedure. Our standard is to use the pulse oximeter or similar equipment in all of our surgeries. This increases the safety of the performed procedure.

EKG Machine

This gives us a non-invasive electrical picture of the heart. It is good to use in elderly surgery patients and also to evaluate those patients with heart problems. This piece of equipment is optional with surgery but is highly recommended.

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  DENTISTRY

Before anesthesia and any surgical procedure, our doctors perform a complete physical examination on your pet.

In addition, we recommend a pre-anesthetic blood screening, just as your human doctor would do. It can detect many potential problems and increases the anesthetic safety for your pet.  Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required for all pets five years old and older.  All potential problems noted in the physical examination or the bloodwork result in a phone call to you and are thoroughly discussed at that time.

Unlike us humans, pets must be unconscious for dental procedures. We use isoflurane gas which is one of the safest anesthetic gases in use today. We feel very comfortable using this on our elderly patients as well.

Just like your human dentist, we use many of the same tools and procedures:

• A periodontal probe is used to check for loose teeth, root exposure, gum disease and rotten teeth

• We remove the tartar build-up and then polish the teeth with an ultrasonic polisher

• Fluoride applications are administered to every pet

• Tooth extractions may be necessary for badly infected or broken teeth

• Dental polymer bonding can be used to help re-attach teeth to gums

• Digital x-rays to check for hidden disease and abscesses

Our doctors examine your pet’s teeth and gums semi-annually (as part of their complete physical examination) to determine if a dental cleaning or extraction procedure needs to be performed. Typically, a dental cleaning does not need to be performed before age two in most pets. 

Imagine not brushing your teeth for 7-10 years (the equivalent number of human years equal to one year for your pet).

Not brushing or cleaning your pet’s teeth can cause:

• Severe gum infection leading to tooth loss

• Swallowing and inhaling bacteria, allowing the infection to occur elsewhere (Heart, Lung, Liver or Kidney infection)

• Acute pain while eating

• Bad breath

We recommend brushing your pet’s teeth three times per week. Having trouble getting your pet to cooperate? Call us, we can help.

Some teeth friendly products include:

• Science Diet T/D treats help reduce tartar build-up

• CET chews contain special enzymes that helps reduce tartar

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  EXOTIC PATIENTS

Our doctors do enjoy seeing exotic patients, from pocket pets to reptiles.  Sorry, but we do not see poisonous pets, monkeys or birds.  These patients are seen by appointment only.

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  IN-HOUSE LAB

Bloodwork

What is bloodwork and what purpose does it serve? Bloodwork is a means of checking your pet’s internal functions in a non-invasive manner. It can alert us to hidden problems that your pet may have.

Different blood tests which are routinely performed:

• Occult – tests for heartworms

• FELV/FIV test for cats

• CBC (red & white blood cell count)

• Serum chemistries check internal organs such as the kidneys, liver and pancreas.  They also monitor intestinal tract and endocrine diseases.

• Diabetic monitoring

• T4 (thyroid test)

We perform pre-anesthetic testing and emergency work-ups in addition to routine, periodic bloodwork analysis.  Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required for all pets five years old and older.

We have many problem specific blood tests that can be run in-house. There are three main bloodwork profiles routinely performed that help us diagnose your pet’s health problems:

Profile #1

This profile is recommended for young, apparently healthy pets. The following tests are included:  Packed Cell Volume (PCV) red blood cell percentages, which we use to test for anemia;  BUN and CREATININE which checks the kidney functions;  ALT and ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE which check the liver, GLUCOSE tests for hypoglycemia and diabetes;  and TOTAL PROTEIN to monitor the immune system and hydration level. This profile is the minimum level of bloodwork that our Doctors will accept prior to any dental or surgical procedure on all pets five years old and older.

Profile #2

This is our most comprehensive blood testing recommended for all pets over 7 years old. As pets begin to make the journey into their later years (we lovingly call these pets Seniors), semi-annual (or no less than annual) bloodwork analysis is highly critical for early detection of potential health problems. This profile includes a Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC) and comprehensive blood serum chemistry. With the CBC, we assess the volume of red and white blood cells as well as the platelet levels in the blood. Abnormalities with any of these values help to detect anemia, inflammation, acute or chronic infection, bleeding disorders, blood parasites, dehydration, and autoimmune diseases. A blood serum chemistry panel gives us more extensive information concerning the kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestinal tract and endocrine diseases.

Profile #3 - FELV/FIV

This profile is for young cats or stray cats and tests for Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. These diseases suppress the immune system (very much like the human AIDS virus) and are highly contagious to cats.  Fortunately, we are now able to prevent both of these deadly diseases with effective and cost effective vaccines.

For additional information, please see the following articles:

• Pre-anesthetic Blood Work & Diagnostics 

• Pet Wellness Screenings 

• LifeTime Wellness™ Preventive Care Program.

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  ADVANCED DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES

We have the following equipment on-site for advanced diagnostic services: Tonopen (checks for Glaucoma), Blood pressure machine, Radiograph (X-ray) unit and film processor, Endoscope, Laparascope and Ultrasound unit.

Radiograph unit

While bloodwork allows us to detect certain diseases, x-rays also allow us to diagnose diseases in a non-invasive manner. X-rays allow us to visualize internal organs including the heart and lungs, and the musculoskeletal system, in both routine and emergency situations.

Endoscope

This allows us to see the inside of the esophagus, stomach and intestines and to look for ulcers, parasites, foreign bodies, and even do biopsies to detect certain diseases such as Inflammatory bowel disease and Cancer. Biopsies involve removing small pieces of tissue to send to an outside lab for analysis. This procedure is minimally invasive and patients recuperate more rapidly with this procedure compared to exploratory surgery.

Laparascope

This is a specialized piece of equipment that allows us to take biopsies of internal organs (liver, kidneys and pancreas) with only two small incisions in the abdomen.  Pets must be anesthetized for this procedure.  Because exposure time is short, pets recover much more quickly from this procedure as compared to general surgery.

Ultrasound unit

This gives us a three dimensional view of the internal organs in a non-invasive manner. It also allows our doctors to view the functioning of the heart, developing fetuses in a pregnant animal, and to locate bladder stones.

Whereas x-rays give us the size and shape of organs, ultrasound lets us examine the internal architecture of organs.  Discrete lesions such as masses, nodules, cysts and abscesses are easily identified.  They can be measured, counted and monitored for change.  However, it is always recommended that an Ultrasound be performed in conjunction with radiographs to get a complete picture.  Ultrasound guided aspirates are instrumental in obtaining a diagnosis.

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  CRITICAL CARE (EMERGENCY SERVICES)

We handle any emergency for our clients as a top priority.  We see emergencies during our normal business hours.  When the hospital is closed, emergency care is provided by the two area emergency hospitals:

Both of these clinics have the following hours: 6pm-8am on weekdays, open 24 hrs per day Sat & Sun & Holidays. We recommend calling ahead of time in case their hours have changed for any reason.

  SPECIALIST REFERRAL

To ensure that your pet receives the best healthcare available, the doctors at Claws & Paws Veterinary Hospital® often consult with and refer to area specialists.