General & Advanced Surgery
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Many pet owners experience anxiety or stress at the thought of their beloved pet undergoing a surgical procedure. At Three Trails Animal Hospital, we can alleviate the stress thanks to our exceptional surgical team and advanced surgical suite.
Our clinical team takes every precaution to ensure your pet’s health, safety, and comfort. The advanced veterinary medical technology available at Three Trails Animal Hospital equips our highly-skilled veterinarians to perform each procedure with extreme accuracy and precision.
- Before the surgery, we conduct a nose-to-tail examination to ensure your pet is healthy to undergo the surgery and anesthesia. A pre-anesthetic blood panel may also be required if your pet has not had blood work taken in the last six months.
- During the surgery, a trained member of our staff will rigorously monitor your patient’s vital signs and pain levels.
- After the surgery, our staff will continue to closely monitor your pet’s health so that they may wake up comfortably, and recover from the anesthesia as expected.
Below are several of the most common surgeries performed at Three Trails Animal Hospital:
- Spay/Neuter Surgery is recommended for all dogs and cats that will not be responsibly bred. The ideal time to spay or neuter your pet is before they reach sexual maturity, but the surgery can be performed later in life too. This is a routine procedure and males will return the next day while we will keep the females overnight to monitor.
- Soft Tissue Surgery is any type of surgery not performed on the bones, joints, or cartilage. Spay/neuter surgery, mass removal, trauma or laceration repair, bladder stone removal, and hernia repair are all common examples of soft tissue surgeries.
- Surgical Oncology is a term that refers to the removal or treatment of cancerous tissues. Typically aimed to stop the spread of cancer, these specialized surgeries may help to improve the animal’s overall health and quality of life.
- Orthopedic Surgery includes treatment of joint conditions including the hips and knees, as well as fracture repairs.
Spay/Neuter Procedure
Spaying involves the removal of the reproductive organs of a female pet, and neutering refers to the removal of the reproductive organs of a male pet. The main goal of a spay/neuter surgery is to prevent reproduction, but there are several other significant benefits associated with the procedure.
At Three Trails Animal Hospital, our highly-experienced veterinary surgeons are expertly trained to perform safe and effective spay and neuter surgeries. We recommend this procedure for all pets under our care that will not be purposefully and responsibly bred. Generally, we recommend pets be spayed or neutered between 5-12 months of age, or before they reach sexual maturity.
As with both spay and neuter surgeries, we will perform an extensive preoperative examination and blood panel to ensure your pet’s safety and health for anesthesia and surgery. Recovery typically simple and involves minimal aftercare.
Did you know pets that are spayed or neutered tend to be healthier, live longer, and behave better than pets that are not? Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of spay/neuter surgery:
- Spayed female pets have longer life expectancies. By removing the ovaries and uterus, there is a reduced risk for uterine infections, breast cancer, and other potentially life-threatening conditions. In fact, a female dog’s risk for breast cancer is reduced by 90% if she is spayed prior to her first heat period.
- Prevents testicular cancer in male pets. Testicular cancer can be fatal, and can also be easily prevented with a neuter procedure.
- Prevents females from going into heat. Cats and dogs can be extremely difficult to care for and manage during their first heat periods. Problem behaviors such as inappropriate urination and increased vocalization are common. (You may also notice male pets coming to your door.)
- Less frequent roaming in males. Unneutered male pets have a natural urge to seek out a female mate. As a result, they are more likely to run away from home or travel further distances. Neutered male pets will be less likely to wander and better, more loyal companion animals to you and your family.
- You save time and money. Unplanned litters are stressful and time-consuming to properly care for. It is also costly to provide appropriate veterinary care, resources, and attention to a litter of puppies or kittens, in addition to finding them good homes.
