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At Bedford-Dianella Vet Centre our high level of veterinary expertise and our fully equipped surgical suite allows us to perform certain orthopaedic surgical procedures for dogs and cats in-house.
These may include:
Complicated orthopaedic cases, such as spinal surgery, are referred to a specialist orthopaedic surgeon.
Our vets assess all cases individually and provide you with the best advice for your pet.
Tearing or a complete rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament is unfortunately common in dogs and can occur during exercise or as a result of degenerative changes such as arthritis in the knee.
Although uncommon in cats, a torn or ruptured cruciate ligament can occur following traumas such as a motor vehicle accident or a fall.
The cruciate ligament is one of several ligaments in the knee. If injured, it allows excess movement and rotation in the knee joint. The dog will be lame on the affected leg and in some cases may not be able to put any weight on it. With time and rest the lameness may ease slightly but will persist.
If damage to this ligament is suspected, then surgical stabilisation procedures may be recommended to prevent further damage, pain and arthritis in the knee.
We determine the best choice of procedure on a number of factors such as the animal’s size, age and activity level.
Mishaps happen.
Cats and dogs break their bones just as we do. Sometimes we treat their broken bones using a cast, but because pets aren’t very good at keeping them clean they have to be replaced every week!
It’s easier in some cases to use a surgical repair, like a pin, for broken bones.
Severe fractures require more advanced surgical repairs such as plating, which we can perform at our centre.
A kneecap that doesn’t sit correctly and slips out of place is called a luxating patella.
It’s a relatively common problem in dogs and in most cases doesn’t cause a problem because pooches learn to manage it themselves.
For some pets, however, a luxating patella is painful, so we correct the problem surgically before too much damage has occurred.
Naturally amputation is something most people prefer to avoid. However, cats and dogs have four legs so having only three legs doesn’t cause them too much trouble at all!
That said, we only amputate a limb or tail when there’s no other option – and only after consultation and with your consent.
When is amputation necessary?
Amputations are performed when a limb or tail is so badly injured or there is irreparable nerve damage that renders the limb useless.
If there’s a tumour, sometimes removal of the limb will give your pet the best chance of survival.
