Hunting Ridge Animal Hospital offers general Surgery services which include a variety of common and elective procedures performed under general anesthesia. Commons surgeries include: ovariohysterectomy (spay), castration (neuter), Mass (lump) removal and tissue biopsy, exploratory surgery, removal of gastrointestinal foreign bodies, enucleation (eye removal), cystotomy (removal of bladder stones), and laceration repair.

Lasers can be incorporated into surgical procedures. A laser uses an intense beam of light that is precisely focused to cut tissue. The energy contained in the laser beam vaporizes the water found in body tissues, allowing a precise "cut" that seals blood vessels and nerve endings, resulting in less bleeding and pain. Additional benefits of laser surgery include reduced swelling at the surgery site, reduced risk of infection, and a quicker recovery.

Anesthesia is always a concern for people and pets. To help minimize anesthesia risks, we require a pre-surgical blood screen test. Anesthetic drugs will be carefully selected based on your pets age, breed and "health state". Your pet will be monitored carefully throughout the procedure.

Pets undergoing anesthesia are typically pre-medicated with an injectable drug. The pre-medication helps to relax your pet so that full anesthesia can be induced more smoothly and safely. Next, the pet receives intravenous medication to allow induction of gas anesthesia. A tube is then placed into the pet's upper airway, and gas anesthesia keeps your pet comfortably anesthetized during the procedure. While your pet is under anesthesia, he or she will be monitored in much the same way as a human undergoing anesthesia would be. This monitoring includes listening to your pet's heart and lungs, visually assessing your pet's reflexes, and using equipment to monitor your pet's EKG, blood pressure, level of blood oxygen, and body temperature.

Post op pain management begins before your pet recovers from general anesthesia and continues thru his or her recovery to help your pet heal faster and comfortably.