Surgery

At SAVE – Southern Alberta Veterinary Emergency our team consists of skilled veterinarians, who have many years of surgical experience. Our veterinarians perform emergency, orthopedic, soft tissue, exploratory, and wound repair surgeries. If you or your primary care veterinarian think your pet can benefit from a surgical procedure, call us at 403-995-3270 or have your vet send a referral form.

The most common surgeries SAVE performs are:

• Brachycephalic Airway (BCA)
• Carpal Fusion
• Cervical Ventral Slot
• Cesarian Section
• Cystotomy
• Dorsal Laminectomy
• Double Pelvic Osteotomy (DPO)
• Exploratory Laparotomy
• Extracapsular CCL
• Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO)
• Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV)
• Hemilaminectomy
• Medial Patellar Luxation (MPL)
• Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
• Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)
• Perineal Urethrostomy
• Pyometra
• Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO)
• Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA)

After reviewing some requests for surgery, referral to a centre with a board-certified veterinary surgical specialist may be recommended. Call us at 403-995-3270 for more information on our surgical services.

What to expect

Typically, you will drop your pet off at SAVE in the morning after fasting overnight. If there are any specific instructions, they will be discussed with you prior to surgery.

Once your pet is in the care of SAVE, the vet will examine your pet and will review any blood tests or other relevant lab work. The veterinarian performing surgery may call you prior to the procedure and it is important to be available by phone on the day of your pet’s surgery. Shortly before the procedure your pet will be anesthetized or sedated. While under anesthesia, vitals will be monitored continuously. Once the surgery is complete, your pet will be monitored and kept comfortable while waking up from the sedation/anesthesia.

Once your pet is awake from the sedation/anesthesia you will receive a call with an update on how the procedure went and a time for discharge will be arranged. Some surgical procedures require follow-up, this will be discussed at time of discharge. Some follow-ups can be done with your primary care vet while others can be done at SAVE.

Once your pet is back home with you, they should be monitored around stairs and other hazards for at least 12 hours. Depending on the surgery, it is also common that your pet get plenty of rest with activity restricted for at least 1-2 weeks post-operatively. We will provide written home care instructions as well as answer any questions you have before your pet goes home. If you have any further at-home-care questions, call us at 403-995-3270.