Orthopeadic surgery refers to bone (or joint) surgery. There are many different situations where bone surgery may be necessary including bone fractures, hip dysplasia, disc disease, etc. Although we do treat some orthopedic cases at our hospital, more complicated cases may be referred to a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon.
The most common orthopaedic problem seen at Centennial Animal Hospital is a damaged cranial cruciate ligament. This ligament is one of the structures inside the knee that helps stabilise the joint. Injuries are common in both athletic dogs and couch potatoes, and cats may be affected as well. If left untreated, the pet may be chronically lame due to the development of arthritis in the affected joint. If surgery is recommended to treat your pet’s cruciate ligament injury, we can arrange referral to have a board-certified veterinary surgeon perform the procedure on your pet. In most cases the referral centre will also provide rehabilitation services for the post-operative recovery period.
Bone fractures are another common orthopaedic problem seen at our clinic, usually resulting from a mishap with an automobile. They can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the location and type of fracture. A cast can be applied to the leg to treat certain fractures; however, many fractures will require surgical intervention. Pinning is a surgical technique whereby a long stainless steel rod is inserted into the middle of the bone. The rod traverses the fractured area. Plating is a surgical technique whereby a flat stainless steel ‘plate’ is attached to the bone using screws on either side of the fracture. External fixation is a technique used to stabilize fractures with a series of pins on the outside of the leg that pass through the skin and into the bone on either side of the fracture. The method of repair will depend on the location and type of fracture present. We hope your pet never experiences the need for orthopaedic surgery. If this unfortunate event does occur, you can rest assured that we will be able to recommend and arrange a treatment that will enhance your pet's healing time and reduce the long term potential problems associated with this type of injury.
The most common orthopaedic problem seen at Centennial Animal Hospital is a damaged cranial cruciate ligament. This ligament is one of the structures inside the knee that helps stabilise the joint. Injuries are common in both athletic dogs and couch potatoes, and cats may be affected as well. If left untreated, the pet may be chronically lame due to the development of arthritis in the affected joint. If surgery is recommended to treat your pet’s cruciate ligament injury, we can arrange referral to have a board-certified veterinary surgeon perform the procedure on your pet. In most cases the referral centre will also provide rehabilitation services for the post-operative recovery period.
Bone fractures are another common orthopaedic problem seen at our clinic, usually resulting from a mishap with an automobile. They can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the location and type of fracture. A cast can be applied to the leg to treat certain fractures; however, many fractures will require surgical intervention. Pinning is a surgical technique whereby a long stainless steel rod is inserted into the middle of the bone. The rod traverses the fractured area. Plating is a surgical technique whereby a flat stainless steel ‘plate’ is attached to the bone using screws on either side of the fracture. External fixation is a technique used to stabilize fractures with a series of pins on the outside of the leg that pass through the skin and into the bone on either side of the fracture. The method of repair will depend on the location and type of fracture present. We hope your pet never experiences the need for orthopaedic surgery. If this unfortunate event does occur, you can rest assured that we will be able to recommend and arrange a treatment that will enhance your pet's healing time and reduce the long term potential problems associated with this type of injury.