Serra Veterinary Hospital

quality medicine with a personal touch

ARTHROSCOPY

Arthroscopy is the standard method of performing most joint surgeries in people. With recent advances in instrumentation and technique, arthroscopy is rapidly gaining acceptance in canine joint surgery as well. The advantages over traditional open joint surgery include:

  • Minimally invasive
  • Faster patient recovery with less pain
  • Improved  access to joint structures
  • Magnification of lesions
  • Therapeutic flushing of joints
  • We are proud to inform that we at Serra Veterinary Hospital are offering arthroscopy for shoulder, elbow and knee joints. These are the conditions for which arthroscopy is routinely done:
  • Osteochondrosis(OCD) of shoulder
  • Bicipital Tenosynovitis of shoulder
  • Fragmented Coronoid Process of elbow
  • Meniscal injuries of knee (usually before doing TPLO and TTA for cranial cruciate deficient knees)
If you ask most people about arthroscopic surgery, they will probably tell you that they first heard of it after an athlete was injured. While athletes commonly will undergo arthroscopic surgery, they are not the only ones. In fact, new advances in medical procedure allow animals such as dogs and cats to undergo Arthroscopy.

If you are not aware of what Arthroscopy is, it is a surgical procedure to examine a joint or tendon. It can also be used to treat orthopedic conditions such as cartilage damage or an ACL reconstruction. It is very minor surgery in nature, so there is little surface damage done to the skin.

Arthroscopic surgery for humans has been around for decades but this is not the case for animals. Arthroscopy for animals was talked about in the late 1970's and early 1980's. The first known procedure was recorded in 1978 but it still was in the development stage. Common use of arthroscopic procedures for animals was only really implemented in the late 90's due to the development of arthroscopes with smaller diameters.

Today, animals can receive Arthroscopic surgery for a variety of reasons. The most common areas that an arthroscopy is performed include the shoulders, hips, and tarsal joint. Due to the quick and minimally invasion nature of an Arthroscopy, it is a safe procedure for all large animals, even older animals. A large amount of Arthroscopic procedures in animals are just to explore an area. In this case, the goal of the procedure is to check for ligament damage or evaluate joint swelling. If the damage can be fixed, the damaged area is often repaired during the same procedure.

The main disadvantage of Arthroscopy is the price. Arthroscopic equipment is extremely expensive and some of those costs are passed onto you. It is not uncommon for an Arthroscopic procedure to reach well over $1,000. Another slight disadvantage is that it can only be used in large animals. Despite the fact that it does not damage much soft tissue, researchers have found that Arthroscopic surgery should still not be performed in smaller animals.

Finally, veterinarians must undergo extensive training to learn how to perform Arthroscopic surgery. Unfortunately, this is expensive and many veterinarians do not take the time to go through with this training. Therefore, it can be difficult to find a vet in your area who has the training and can properly perform a safe Arthroscopy for your pet. Things are not all bad though. As stated earlier, an Arthroscopy is minimally invasive and will not leave much soft tissue damage. Also, the surgery is generally very quick and is minimally painful. Also, the success rate of Arthroscopy in animals is extremely high, almost at 100%.

As medical technology develops further, more animals will be able to undergo Arthroscopic surgery. Remember, Arthroscopy for animals has only really been around for a decade, so it is still in its primitive stages. Regardless, the surgery is extremely safe and effective for what it is designed to do.
 
DENTAL CARE
Regular professional cleaning is important to maintaining your pet's teeth. We use modern and safe ultrasound to clean each tooth thoroughly - above and below the gum line. Dental technicians polish teeth to create a smooth, lustrous tooth surface more resistant to plaque buildup. Fluoride treatments help strengthen enamel and reduce tooth sensitivity.

Over the past ten years, major advances in the medical field have made proper health care available to all pets. One area that is also concerning for veterinarians is the mouth/gums area. Thankfully, many veterinarians can now provide proper dental care for animals.

Plaque and bacteria commonly build up in animals teeth, which can cause the teeth to rot and can eventually cause gum disease. When taking your pet to the vet for its? annual check up, you should make sure that an oral exam is conducted.

Generally, the oral exam should evaluate the health of your pet's teeth, gums, and tongue.  If needed, plague buildup can be removed in the teeth and gums. If for any reason the gums are swollen, your vet may prescribe medicine to stop and minimize the swelling.

One common problem associated with dogs is gingivitis. Gingivitis can strike at any time and can become very serious. The first indications of gingivitis include bleeding gums, redness in the gums, and ?doggy breath.? Doggy breath is a common odor that is similar to rotten eggs. Doggy breath is the byproduct of the bacteria that have built up in the mouth.

The reason you need to be on the lookout for Gingivitis is because it can cause periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is not treatable like gingivitis is. If it reaches to this stage, your pet will suffer permanent tooth and bone damage. Sometimes, teeth will become so rotten that they will simply just fall out.

This is why you should schedule an appointment with you vet if you notice any of the signs of gingivitis. It is treatable, and if it is caught in the early stages, you will only need to perform a thorough cleaning until it is gone.

Your vet can only do so much for you. Proper dental care for animals starts at home. You should also be on the lookout for irregular behavior. Check to see if your pet is only chewing on one side or is your pet not eating at all. If either of these situations is true, your pet could be experiencing some pain and could have a serious dental problem.

You should also be regularly brushing your pet's teeth. While brushing your pet's teeth everyday is recommended, you should make sure to at least brush your pet's teeth three times a week, or every other day. Also, there are some treats that have will fight plague and remove it. Do not hesitate to give your pet one of these special treats every once in a while.

When it comes to dental care for animals, treat your pet as if it were a human being. Animals are just like humans and experience many of the same problems we do. Likewise, if you practice proper home dental care for your pet, you will enhance the quality of life your pet. If you have been lacking in this area, start performing home dental care before it is too late for your pet.