Hillcrest Animal Hospital offers a wide variety of surgical capabilities. Combining state-of-the-art equipment and training with compassionate care, we take great pride in helping patients in need when referral to a specialty hospital is not an option.

Our team of professionals offers so much more than spays, neuters, mass removals, and dentals. Below are more details on the many conditions we may be able to address with surgery.

Stifle Disease:

The most common condition affecting the stifle in dogs is cranial cruciate (CCL) disease. A dogs CCL is like a human’s ACL. We may correct CCL disease in dogs using one of two surgical methods, using a Lateral Suture or with a Cora Base Leveling Osteotomy (CBLO). A lateral suture recreates the damaged ligament to stabilize the joint, reduce pain and improve function. This works well for many patients, especially patients less than 60lbs. The CBLO is the newest and most effective treatment for CCL disease in dogs, especially large dogs. From a partial tear to a complete rupture of the CCL, meniscal tears, or even these issues combined with luxation of the patella, CBLO can correct each problem and facilitate healing of the damage ligament(s), unlike other surgeries. This cutting-edge procedure improves upon the more widely known Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) performed most commonly at specialty hospitals.

Patellar Luxation is also a common disease among small and toy breed dogs. This is a confirmational problem of the femur. Many patients were born with shallow patellar grooves, which normally should provide a path for the patella to glide over. If the groove is too shallow, the patella can easily slide out of place (luxate) during normal use of the limb. Over time, this may cause painful osteoarthritis and even lead to CCL disease. When indicated we may correct this issue using a technique called femoral trochleoplasty with or without a tibial tuberosity transposition. These techniques deepen the trochlear notch and straighten the quadriceps pull on the patellar tendon, preventing luxation.

Traumatic Disease:

Many patients suffer from trauma, most commonly being struck by vehicles. If present, lacerations and soft tissue wounds will be explored and repaired appropriately. We are also capable of correcting many types of long bone and mandibular fractures using bone plates and screws. We may repair coxofemoral luxation (dislocated hip) using a tight rope procedure for internal reduction. Also luxation of the Sacroiliac (SI) joint may be corrected using a lag screw in some cases.

Neurologic Disease:

Patients that suffer from back pain or severe weakness (paresis) due to intervertebral disk disease may benefit from surgery. Using our NewTom5G CT we may perform a myelogram to localize severe intervertebral disk disease in patients that did not respond to medical treatment and perform hemilaminectomy to alleviate the spinal cord compression causing their symptoms. This procedure is most often performed by neurologists at referral hospitals following an MRI.

Intrabdominal Disease:

Surgery may be used to diagnose and treat many diseases affecting intra-abdominal organs. When indicated, we have the capabilities to perform cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal), splenectomy, nephrectomy (kidney removal), and liver lobectomy, in additional to a variety of gastrointestinal procedures like enterotomy, resection and anastomosis, and total colectomy.

Urogenital Disease:

Patients suffering from bladder stones will benefit greatly from surgery. In certain cases, a perineal urethrostomy may be indicated to alleviate urinary obstructions. Breeding females may need surgical assistance when whelping so our facility stands ready to perform cesarean deliveries at a moment’s notice.

Otic Disease:

Patients that suffer from chronic ear infections will benefit from sedated deep ear flushes. And rarely, total ear canal ablation may be performed to eliminate chronic pain and infection.

Our team is very proud to offer a wide range of surgical services for patients that may not be able to afford the long trip to a referral hospital. Give us a call to schedule your pets appointment today.