Surgery
Creekside provides a patient care oriented approach and individualized anesthesia plans for each of our surgery patients.
What to Know Before Your Pet Has Surgery
A surgery was recommended for your pet. What are the next steps?
Scheduling: We are currently scheduling surgeries on Tuesdays and some Thursdays. Wait times depend on the procedure needed. We do have a cancelation list in case an earlier surgery date becomes available.
Cost Estimate: Will be sent at the time of surgery recommendation and re-sent via email approximately one week before the scheduled surgery date. Please contact the clinic if an estimate was not received.
Bloodwork: Must be performed within a certain timeframe prior to the surgery date. This timeframe is determined on a case by case basis. The doctor will let you know when they recommend surgery if your pet will need bloodwork prior to that surgery. There are two main options for bloodwork, in-house or send-out. In-house bloodwork can be performed the morning of surgery and is generally more expensive than send-out. For send-out bloodwork, we need to draw the blood from your pet at least 48 hours prior to the surgery date in order to get the results back from the reference laboratory in time. The blood draw involves scheduling a short visit to the clinic to see a technician. A doctor will call with the results when they are in. Any concerns they may have will be discussed.
For more information on why pre-surgical bloodwork is recommended, please visit: vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/preanesthetic-bloodwork
The Night Before Surgery: We ask that all pets undergoing surgery be fasted starting at 10pm the night before surgery. This is to reduce the risk of vomiting/regurgitation while under anesthesia. A small treat with any medications is acceptable. Always leave water available!
Surgery Day: All surgery patients are to be dropped off at the clinic between 8am-8:30am. At that time, we will go over an admission form, have the estimate signed, and answer any last minute questions. We will call once the pet is out of surgery and in recovery. A discharge appointment will be scheduled at this time. Payment will be collected and at-home instructions will be discussed at the discharge. For more information on payment options, please visit: vetcarecreekside.com/payment-insurance
Follow-Up: We will call the morning after your pet's surgery to check in on how they are doing. If a suture/staple removal or bandage changes needs to be performed after surgery, it will be discussed with you and can be scheduled at the discharge.
Why Should I Spay/Neuter My Pet?
By spaying or neutering your pet, you’ll help control the pet homelessness crisis. Millions of healthy dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States each year simply because there aren’t enough homes to go around. There are also medical and behavioral benefits to spaying (female pets) and neutering (male pets).
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Female dogs typically begin their first heat cycle between 6 and 12 months of age which can produce vaginal swelling and discharge. Spaying prevents uterine infections and decreases the incidence of breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. Hormones produced during these heat cycles also affect the behavior and attitude of female pets.
Male dogs also become reproductively mature around 6 months of age. We recommend neutering between 6 and 18 months of age depending on the breed and size of your dog. Unneutered male dogs are more susceptible to prostate cancer, prostate infections, and cancer in the male reproductive system. Hormones produced from unneutered males also affect the behavior and attitude. Unneutered dogs and cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Your dog might be less likely to mount other dogs, people and inanimate objects after he’s neutered. Some aggression problems may be avoided by early neutering.
Specialty Surgeries at Creekside
Creekside offers the following specialty surgeries through our traveling Board-Certified Small Animal surgeon,
Dr. Javier Gallegos with Otra Surgical Options:
SOFT TISSUE
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Head, Neck, and Ear
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Heart and Lung
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Upper Respiratory Tract (soft palate, larynx)
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Mass/tumor removal
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Skin and Reconstruction
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Hernia repair (inguinal, perineal, hiatal)
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Endocrine System
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Urogenital (kidney, bladder, prostate, urethra, vulva)
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Other – if the procedure you are looking for is not listed here, please contact them.
ORTHOPEDIC
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Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) – stabilizes the stifle (knee) with a ruptured ACL/CCL
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Patella Luxation Correction – for medial (MPL) or lateral patella luxation (LPL)
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Angular Limb Deformity (ALD) correction for congenital or traumatic deformities
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Fracture Fixation – for most long bone fractures
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Arthrodesis (joint fusion) – for unstable or fractured joints
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Non-surgical treatment options like intra-articular (joint) injections for arthritis and recommendations for rehabilitation
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For more information, visit Otra Surgical Options online at https://otrasurgical.com
HOLISTIC ADD-ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORTHOPEDIC SURGERIES
CLASS IV LASER THERAPY
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Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy occurs when a dose of light energy reaches target tissue and results in decreased inflammation, decreased pain, and accelerated healing. Please visit these websites for more information:
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A package of 8 laser treatments is included in the price of surgery. The first of 8 is performed immediately post-op. We recommend the next laser treatment and recheck of the surgical site/mobility 2 weeks post-op, then continuing the remaining 6 laser treatments weekly.
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At the final laser treatment appointment (approximately 6 weeks post-op), we will also perform recheck x-rays per Dr. Javier Gallegos’ recommendation. These are also included in the price of surgery, so all of these visits are “no-charge”.
SUPPLEMENTS
We leave the option of starting supplements to help with muscle building and strengthening ligaments and tendons up to pet owners before and/or after an orthopedic surgery (specifically TPLOs). You can choose to have a trial of recommended supplements bundled into the cost of surgery at a discounted price. Options for these are as follows:
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Standard Process Ligaplex series (I and II)-
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Focuses on strengthening ligaments and tendons. We know that about 50% of dogs will tear the ligament in the other knee within 1-2 years after the first leg tears. This is due to a genetic or degenerative process affecting the body combined with overcompensation during the injury and healing process.
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Recommended to start with and use one full bottle of Ligaplex I, then use at least one full bottle of Ligaplex II. Ligaplex II can then be used as a life-long supplement if desired.
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Click here for the Standard Process Ligaplex I and II Fact Sheet
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Standard Process Musculoskeletal Support-
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As an alternative for Ligaplex II, this supplement is excellent for lifelong musculoskeletal health support. This also comes as a powder vs Ligaplex II as a pill.
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A broad spectrum support for the entire musculoskeletal system. This supplement supports muscle, tendons, ligaments, and joints, whereas Ligaplex is more focused on ligament support specifically.
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Click here for the Standard Process Canine Musculoskeletal Support Fact Sheet
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Dasuquin Advanced by Nutramaxx-
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A very effective joint supplement. Unlike Ligaplex or Musculoskeletal Support, this is targeted to support the joints.
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It is extremely common for pets to develop arthritis after an orthopedic surgery (especially TPLOs). This supplement can help prevent/slow the progression of, and aid in the discomfort from this.
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Musculoskeletal Support and Dasuquin do overlap in some ingredients, so for most animals we don’t use both together.
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https://www.dasuquin.com/product/dasuquin-advanced-soft-chews
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