Veterinary Surgery

Vet Surgical Procedures

At Carlsbad Animal Hospital, we perform medical and emergency surgeries to help treat disease and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.

Our Carlsbad vets routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:

• Soft Tissue Surgery

  For pets suffering from ear, nose, and throat disorders, we offer soft tissue surgical procedures.

  These procedures are also available for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders. 

• Spaying & Neutering

  When we spay or neuter a cat or dog, we surgically sterilize them to prevent disease and provide them with an extended life expectancy. 

• Abdominal Surgery

  Abdominal surgery covers a range of procedures relating to your pet's abdomen and digestive system. One of the more common reasons our veterinarians perform abdominal surgery is to correct bloat, a life-threatening emergency condition in which a dog's stomach twists inside their body, blocking off the stomach's blood supply. 

• Ocular

  If your pet is experiencing pain, redness, or other symptoms in or around their eyes, they may need ocular surgery.

  Common ocular procedures for cats and dogs include eyelid tumor removal, cataract surgery, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery, exenteration of the orbit, and cherry eye surgery.

  If your cat or dog requires a veterinary surgical specialist to perform the surgery, our veterinarians will refer you to a pet surgeon near Carlsbad and work closely with your animal surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care. 

• Mass Removal

  Cats and dogs can develop masses associated with the skin. Masses can also grow inside a body cavity and can be serious or life-threatening.

  Mass removal surgery is a fairly common procedure for both cats and dogs.

• Foreign Body

  Sometimes, foreign objects are ingested or can get stuck inside a cat's or dog's body.

  Whether your pet has eaten an object they shouldn't have or an accident has left them injured, we can perform foreign body surgery to remove it.

  In some cases, specialized skills or equipment are needed to perform pet surgery. If that is the case for your animal, your vet will refer you to a cat or dog surgeon near Carlsbad and work closely with your veterinary surgeon to ensure that your dog or cat receives the very best care.

• Wounds

  Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged.

  These wounds must be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately cared for by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible. 

• Splenectomy

  During a splenectomy, our vets remove your pet's spleen. Most spleens are removed because they have grown a tumor.

• Orthopedic Surgery

  Cat or dog orthopedic surgeries correct injuries and diseases of the bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other skeletal structures in your pet. If your pet is suffering from a condition or injury that requires advanced specialized care, your vet will refer your dog or cat to a board-certified orthopedic vet near Carlsbad.

• Limb Amputations

  Unfortunately, there are some situations in which your veterinarian might recommend a limb amputation. Our Carlsbad vets perform amputations for reasons such as irreparable trauma, infection, paralysis, severe arthritis, chronic pain, and cancer. 

• Dental Surgery

  Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats. These surgeries can include tooth extractions and gum disease treatment.

The Pet Surgery Process

During vet surgery, your pet will have a dedicated team of veterinary technicians to administer anesthesia and continuously monitor your pet using electronic patient monitoring equipment.

After the surgery is complete, post-operative monitoring and pain management are our priorities. Before leaving with your companion, we’ll explain any aftercare instructions we have, including a plan to manage your pet’s pain once you return home.

We always put your pet first. If your pet requires advanced care, our vets will refer you to a specialized veterinary surgeon near Carlsbad and work closely with your vet surgeon to ensure your pet receives the best care possible.

Surgical protocols at our clinic include:

Pre-surgical assessments. We will confirm the specifics of the procedure, complete a physical examination of the patient, and make sure blood tests have been completed and reviewed by the vet to determine if your pet faces any risk of anesthesia-related complications.

Dedicated surgical suites. Surgeries are performed in a dedicated surgical suite. This room is kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.

Surgical attire. Our staff wears disposable caps and masks at all times when they are in the surgical suite. Those involved in the procedure itself will also wear sterile gowns and single-use gloves.

Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment before every surgery.