Surgical Services
Our hospital is well-equipped to perform most minor and major surgical procedures, from spays and neuters to more complicated emergency, orthopedic and soft-tissue surgeries. Prior to surgery, each patient receives a thorough physical examination to assess your pet's current health status. Because not all problems can be detected on examination, we strongly recommend pre-anesthetic blood and urine testing. These tests not only give us a more complete picture of your pet's health, but also allow us to tailor an anesthetic regimen that is specifically designed for your pet.
We offer a wide variety of anesthetic protocols tailored to your pet's individual needs. We use state-of-the-art anesthetic machines and utilize a variety of anesthetic monitoring devices including Doppler blood pressure monitors, respiratory monitors, EKG and other cardiac monitoring equipment. An intravenous (IV) catheter placed in your pet's leg enables us to deliver fluids during the surgical procedure and recovery period. Since most anesthetic agents cause blood pressure to drop, delivering fluids enables us to maintain a safe blood pressure. The IV catheter also allows quick access to your pet's circulatory system, if an emergency arises and necesitates immediate delivery of life saving emergency drugs.
Carlsbad Animal Hospital is fully equipped to perform most soft-tissue and common orthopedic procedures. Some of the orthopedic procedures that we perform include fracture repairs, joint surgery and bone biopsies. Our doctors have decades of experience successfully repairing torn anterior cruciate ligaments, the most common knee injury in dogs and cats, as well as patella (kneecap) luxations.
Pain management is an important part of our pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative anesthetic and medical protocol. All surgical patients, including those undergoing routine procedures such as ovariohysterectomy or castrations, receive pain control medication. We urge you to discuss operative pain management options with a member of our staff.
Emergency Referrals
If your pet has an emergency outside of hospital hours, we may refer you to the Veterinary Specialty Hospital San Diego:
Veterinary Specialty Hospital San Diego
104535 Sorrento Valley Road
San Diego, CA 92121
858-875-7500
Click here for directions to Veterinary Specialty Hospital San Diego