
SMALL ANIMAL VETERINARY CARE
Orthopedic & Soft Tissue Surgery
Offering a full range of surgical procedures for dogs and cats.
Orthopedic & Soft Tissue Surgery
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Our orthopedic specialists focus on conditions related to bones and joints and are skilled in the most advanced techniques and procedures available.
Conditions we commonly treat
- Sporting, athletic, working, and family dog injuries
- Stifle (knee) ligaments ruptures in dogs, most commonly the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL)
- Cat injuries
- Patella (kneecap) luxation (“trick knee”)
- Hip, stifle, and elbow dysplasia
- Joint conditions, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
- Complicated bone, joint, and growth plate fractures
- Angular limb deformities
- Tendon, muscle, and ligament, injuries including sprains, strains, and ruptures
- Joint luxations (dislocations), including shoulder, elbow, carpal (wrist), hip, stifle, and tarsal (ankle)


Some orthopedic surgical procedures we offer
- Arthroscopy of joints (minimally invasive surgery)
- Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for CCL ruptures
- Complex fracture repair
- Corrective bone surgery (osteotomy) using 3-D print planning
- Joint ligament and tendon repair and reconstruction
- Biological tendon treatments (platelet-rich plasma injections)
- Total hip and partial elbow joint replacement
- Partial or complete joint fusion (arthrodesis)
Soft Tissue Surgery
We specialize in minimally invasive and interventional surgical procedures and are one of only a handful of veterinary hospitals in the country to perform pituitary surgery.

Some soft tissue surgical procedures we offer
- Minimally invasive procedures, such as laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and cystoscopy
- Interventional procedures, such as intrahepatic shunt coiling, and stenting of trachea, ureter, and urethra
- Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy (pituitary) surgery to treat Cushing’s disease in dogs and acromegaly (excessive growth hormone from pituitary gland) in cats
- Oncologic (cancer) tumor removal
- Ear, nose, and throat surgery
- Endocrine surgery
- Gastrointestinal (stomach and intestinal) surgery
- Urinary tract surgery
- Reproductive surgery
- Respiratory surgery
- Wound repair, grafting, and reconstruction
Hospital Stories | Health Topics
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Meet the Veterinary Teaching Hospital team: Chris Dumas
Chris Dumas is a licensed veterinary technician with the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s small animal surgery team.
WSU veterinarian brings virtual reality to laparoscopic surgery
Veterinary surgeons training for laparoscopic surgeries could soon be able to perfect their skills in a virtual reality simulation before ever performing the procedures on live patients.
Featured Health Topics
- Frequently asked questions about excess growth hormone (acromegaly) in a cat
- Frequently asked questions about Cushing’s disease in a dog
- Pets and anesthesia
- Cancer Surgery
- What is Cushing’s Disease?
Clinical Studies
Any current clinical studies for this service will be listed below.
Grateful Client Giving
“This is a place of miracles.”
-Anne Hensley, veterinary hospital client
-Anne Hensley, veterinary hospital client