We perform many types of soft tissue surgeries at our clinic. Soft tissue surgeries are those that are not associated with bone. These surgeries can provide many benefits to pets.
At the Canadian Veterinary Hospital we perform a large variety of soft tissue procedures. Spays (females) and Neuters (males) are the most frequent surgeries we perform. The benefits of these procedures are numerous. One of the most important is the decreased suffering in the stray pet populations, and especially in kittens and puppies that often do not survive the first weeks of life. Our pets become far better companions to us and stay healthier, when they are not out searching for a wife or husband. Please see our section on Spays and Neuters for more detailed information.
One of the more common soft tissue surgery performed on pets is the removal of masses, or lumps. Most of these masses, once removed and tested, are found to be benign (nonharmful); however, occasionally they are more serious. Early removal and accurate diagnosis of a lump is necessary to improve the outcome in your pet if the mass is cancerous.
Pets, like some children like to experiment by putting things in their mouths. This can result in them accidentally swallowing something often times resulting in an intestinal blockage. This requires surgery to remove the foreign body as soon as possible. Delays can result in holes forming in the intestines and leakage of the intestinal contents into the abdomen. This will result in a peritonitis (inflammation and infection inside the abdomen, which is life threatening) . Our surgeons have extensive experience in these procedures. Please contact the hospital immediately if there is a chance your pet swallowed something they should not have.
Brinkley in his T-Shirt after his foreign body surgery to remove a corn cob
Animals suffer from many of the same diseases as do people. Sometimes they require surgery to remove internal growths (masses), for example on the spleen.
Trauma, accidents and fights with other animals can result in a lot of soft tissue damage to pets. Often the external damage is not as great as the internal problems. As in motor vehicle accidents with people, a pet or human is small and fragile compared to a car. Internal bleeding, tearing and perforations are more common than we think. We often focus on the broken bone, but the immediate life threatening injury may be internal. Bite wounds on the outside may appear minor, and often to not demonstrate a perforated intestine internally, resulting from the force of another pets jaw. Thick fur also masks the extent of a bite wound or abscess. Our surgeons are skilled at knowing when it is important to repair internal problems before your pet gets into more serious trouble.
Large breed, deep chested dogs suffer from a condition called Bloat or Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV). This is a life threatening condition, and prognosis deteriorates by the hour when treatment is delayed. Our surgeons are experienced with this condition and surgery. Please contact us immediately, if your large breed dog seems to have a swollen abdomen, and is trying to unsuccessfully vomit.
If your dog suffers from frequent ear infections, surgical intervention can reduce their occurrence by improving airflow into the ear canal.
Surgery can also help resolve several problems related to the eyes. Squinting, tearing, discharge, redness or rubbing of your pet’s eyes can mean an infection is present or may be a sign that the cornea (outer layer of the eye) has been damaged. Surgery may allow the cornea to heal faster with less scarring, improving your pet’s ability to see. In some pets, the eyelashes may actually damage the cornea. Surgical intervention improves comfort in these pets, reduces the chances of corneal scarring, and enhances the pet’s vision in the long term. Our veterinarians save a lot of eyes in Doha, because they have the expertise to perform Third Eyelid and Conjunctival Flaps to protect the eye while it heals. Due to the infectious diseases and sand in Qatar, a lot of pets start with a minor eye irritation, but they rub the eye to relieve itching and in an attempt to try to fix it themselves. This can cause serious changes to occur very quickly, and therefore eye problems should always be seen quickly.
For all procedures, whether for a stray or an owned pet, we insist on proper pain management at every step. All strays receive an IV catheter and we insist on providing complete surgical monitoring, and compassionate care at every step of the procedure.
Please contact our surgical team if you have any questions about surgery, or if you believe your pet may need or benefit from a surgical procedure.
