Veterinary Surgery in Portland

What to Expect from Veterinary Surgery

Our vet surgeons will keep you fully informed about why we are recommending a surgical procedure and regarding any post-operative care your pet will need at home. We practice stringent surgical protocols at our clinic.

Surgical Procedures

At Cedar Mill Veterinary Hospital, we perform medical and emergency surgeries to help treat disease and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.

Our Portland vets routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:

• Soft Tissue Surgery

  For pets suffering from ear, nose, and throat disorders, we offer soft tissue surgical procedures.

  These procedures are also available for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders. 

• Spaying & Neutering

  When we spay or neuter a cat or dog, we surgically sterilize them to prevent disease and provide them with an extended life expectancy.  

• Ocular

  If your pet is experiencing pain, redness or other symptoms in or around their eyes, they may need ocular surgery.

  Common ocular procedures for cats and dogs include eyelid tumor removal, cataract surgery, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery, exenteration of the orbit and cherry eye surgery.

  If your cat or dog requires a veterinary surgical specialist to perform the surgery, our veterinarians will refer you to a pet surgeon near Portland and work closely with your animal surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care. 

• Mass Removal

  Cats and dogs can develop masses associated with the skin. Masses can also grow A visible mass is always concerning and should be examined right away. Appropriate tissue sampling and laboratory evaluation may be recommended. We will schedule surgery appropriate to the procedure.

  Mass removal is a fairly common procedure for both cats and dogs. 

• Foreign Body

  Sometimes, foreign objects are ingested or can get stuck inside a cat's or dog's body.

  Whether your pet has eaten an object they shouldn't have or an accident has left them injured, we can perform foreign body surgery to remove it.

  In some cases, specialized skills or equipment are needed to perform pet surgery. If that is the case for your animal, your vet will refer you to a cat or dog surgeon near Portland and work closely with your veterinary surgeon to ensure that your dog or cat receives the very best care.

• Wounds

  Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged.

  It's imperative that these wounds be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately cared for by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible for the best outcome. 

• Orthopedic Surgery

  Orthopedic surgeries correct injuries and diseases of the bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other skeletal structures in your pet. We work with On The Mend Veterinary Services to provide orthopedic surgery.

• Dental Surgery

  Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats. These surgeries can range from tooth extractions to gum disease treatment and jaw fracture repairs.

• Cystotomy

  When diet/medical management is unsuccessful, surgery is the best option for bladder stone removal. The size and quantity of uroliths determine whether cystotomy is a straightforward surgery or an intricate, time-consuming procedure. Each case is unique requiring careful preoperative planning. We always submit uroliths for mineral analysis to help provide the best postoperative management recommendations.

• Gastropexy

  We use this procedure to stabilize the stomach and minimize the chance that the stomach will rotate causing a life-threatening gastric displacement (gastric dilatation and volvulus). Breeds at greatest risk are large dogs with deep chests such as retrievers and German shepherds.

• Splenectomy

  Intra-abdominal bleeding can be due to the rupture of a splenic mass. Often life-threatening, such bleeding can be caused by a malignant tumor in the spleen. Surgery is indicated to control the bleeding and remove the mass. Prior to surgery, we recommend a chest X-ray to assess metastasis. We also provide in-house ultrasound for a detailed evaluation of abdominal masses. These images are uploaded and read by a board-certified radiologist.

The Veterinary Surgery Process

During each surgery, a dedicated veterinary technician will administer anesthesia and continuously monitor your pet using electronic patient monitoring equipment. The appropriate pain medication will also be administered. 

Following the surgery, we will closely monitor your pet and ensure they are as comfortable as possible. 

We will provide you with thorough instructions on how to prepare your pet for surgery as well as how to properly care for them at home post-operatively. 

Surgical protocols at our clinic include:

Pre-surgical assessments. We will confirm the specifics of the procedure, complete a physical examination of the patient, and make sure blood tests have been completed and reviewed by the vet in order to determine if your pet faces any risk of anesthesia-related complications.

Dedicated surgical suites. Surgeries are performed in a dedicated surgical suite. This room is kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.

Surgical attire. Our staff wears disposable caps and masks at all times when they are in the surgical suite. Those involved in the procedure itself will also wear sterile gowns and single-use gloves.

Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment prior to every surgery.