The team at Belmont Vet Centre provide a full range of surgery procedures.

These include:

Soft Tissue Surgery:

• desexing (spay, castration, and vasectomy)
• Caesarean section (everyone loves babies)
• biopsy
• abscess surgery
• eye and eyelid surgery
• ear surgery
• hernia repair
• airway obstruction treatment (soft palate, larynx)
• abdominal or chest surgery
• Surgical tumour removal

Orthopaedic surgery (bones and joints)

• Fractures and ligament repairs both simple and complex.
• Conventional plates, Linear, and hybrid external fixation
• Correction of angular limb deformities
• Cranial Cruciate ligament rupture “ACL.”
• Tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO)
• Extracapsular stabilisation (lateral fabella suture or De Angelis repair)
• Patella luxation
• Distal femoral wedge ostectomy for distal femoral bowing
• Femoral head and neck removal
• Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis – prevents Hip Dysplasia.

Orthopaedic surgery performed at Belmont Vet Centre is usually either Bone Fractures, or Joint/Ligament Injury surgery and may be as a result of a traumatic accident (fall, hit by car, foot in pothole when running), but could also include correction of congenital and developmental limb deformities or removal of cancers involving bones.

Bone Fractures

Fracture investigation and repair in animals involves stabilising the patient, diagnosing the extent of the injuries, and fixation of broken bones to allow them to heal. Stabilisation means dealing with any life-threatening problems such as damaged internal organs, and shock. Diagnostic radiographs (X-rays) are taken to determine the extent of and repair type for any fractures. Some repair options are available and are selected depending on the type of fracture, sometimes in combination. They include: splinting, cerclage wiring around the bone, screws, plates, pinning and external skeletal fixation (external frame).

Ligament/Joint/Tendon injuries

The surgical procedure for other orthopaedic injuries (such as anterior cruciate ligament rupture) is similar, with the diagnosis being made at a consultation. And then confirmed with X-rays and examination under anaesthetic. Repair consists of stabilising the joint if unstable, and removing any torn, or damaged tissue likely to cause future problems.

Spinal Surgery

Pets that have spinal injuries or suspected spinal problems are stabilised and x-rayed at the clinic they are then generally referred to a Surgical Specialist for this highly specialised surgery.