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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)
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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.
![Soft Tissue Surgery](https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2668/2021/03/SASoftTissueSurgeryGeneralImage-v4.jpg)
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
Meet the Veterinary Teaching Hospital team: Dr. Boel Fransson
Dr. Boel Fransson is the head of our Small Animal Surgery service and one of the nation’s leading experts in laparoscopic procedures, or minimally invasive surgeries.
Meet the Veterinary Teaching Hospital team: Anna Blackburn
Anna Blackburn recently joined our Small Animal Surgery team as a veterinary assistant, but she ultimately has her eyes set on becoming a veterinarian herself.
Saving Mille: WSU veterinarians cure Maltese of Cushing’s
WSU veterinarians cure 8-year-old dog of Cushing’s disease by performing life-saving brain surgery.
Health Topics
- Pets and anesthesia Many veterinary procedures require your pet to be put under anesthesia so that it will not feel pain and will remain still. Like any medical procedure, anesthesia does have risks, but most healthy animals, including older pets, don’t have any issues and recover rather quickly. How do I know if anesthesia is safe for my […]
- Frequently asked questions about excess growth hormone (acromegaly) in a cat Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy (pituitary gland removal) for a pituitary tumor causing excess growth hormone production (acromegaly) in a cat.
- Frequently asked questions about Cushing’s disease in a dog Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy surgery (pituitary gland removal) for a pituitary tumor causing Cushing’s disease in a dog.
- 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.
- Cancer surgery Can surgery cure my pet of cancer? Cancer is a scary diagnosis for any pet owner, but there are often surgical treatment options that can improve your pet’s quality of life and, in some cases, even eliminate the cancer. Is my pet a candidate for cancer surgery? Whether your pet is a candidate for surgery […]
- What is Cushing’s Disease? Cushing’s disease can be treated by surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland.
Clinical Studies
Any current clinical studies for this service will be listed below.