Orthopaedic Surgery
From broken bones to joint problems,
the highly skilled veterinarians at West Queanbeyan Veterinary Hospital are experienced in orthopaedic surgery and are committed to getting the best outcome for your pet’s health.
What is orthopaedic surgery?
Orthopaedic surgery relates to your pet’s bones. Commonly our vets perform orthopaedic surgeries to repair broken bones or correct defects such as luxating patella and ruptured cruciate ligaments in dogs and cats.
If your pet requires orthopaedic surgery our friendly staff will explain to you exactly what’s involved and what you’ll need to do, but here are the basics.
In the morning
Your pet will receive a pre-surgical health check, before being admitted into the hospital by one of our veterinary team. Once admitted your pet will be settled into their cosy hospital bed, by on of our dedicated nurses, who will be on hand to care for your pet during their hospital stay. Depending on when their surgical procedure is scheduled, your pet will be administered a pre-anesthetic sedation, usually given 1hr prior to their surgery being performed. This helps prepare your pet for anesthesia, reduce unnecessary stress, and smooths their wake-up and recovery.
During surgery
General anesthesia will be induced by the veterinary surgeon, and closely monitored by both the vet and the team of experienced nursing staff. Blood pressure, breathing rate and blood oxygen levels are monitored while our surgeon carries out the operation. We continue to monitor your pet during the recovery stage and ensure they are clean, dry, warm and settled in their hospital bed.
What then?
Once your pet is awake, we will continue to monitor them and ensure any pain is under control. One of our veterinary team will call you, to advise you on how your pets’ surgery and recovery went. Your pet will remain with us overnight, to ensure they are kept comfortable and well hydrated, on post-surgical fluid therapy– your pet’s health is our top priority.
Going home
Your pet will be discharged by one of our veterinary team, who will discuss your pets required care, during their healing process, and provide you with a comprehensive post-orthopaedic surgery care instructions, to take home.