Small Animal Surgery
The Surgical Service combines the experience and skills of a dedicated surgical team with employing cutting edge techniques and equipment in a State of the Art facility supported by dedicated 24 hour Anaesthesia, Internal Medicine, Imaging and Emergency & Critical Care services.
For Clients
Access to the VMC Surgery Service is by referral from your veterinarian. However, in specific cases direct access to the surgical service can be requested by contacting the UQ Vets Small Animal Hospital reception and advising them that you have an urgent need.
For Veterinarians
Access to the UQ Vets Small Animal Hospital Surgery Service is by telephone or email and is welcomed. Advice on general or individual clinical questions can be provided without charge or obligation to refer.
Soft tissue Surgery
Access to advanced equipment such as laparascopic surgery instrumentation, Ligasure® vessel sealing technology, electrosurgery and stapling equipment allows the surgery department to provide a state of the art service in all facets of soft tissue surgery.
Procedures commonly performed by the surgery, anaesthesia and diagnostic imaging teams include the following:
- Abdominal surgery
Gastro-intestinal, hepato-biliary, adrenal and pancreatic conditions - Upper airway surgery
Brachycephalic airway disease, laryngeal paralysis and collapsing trachea - Thoracic surgery
Lung lobectomy, patent ductus arteriosis (PDA), vascular ring anomalies, chylothorax surgery, subtotal pericardectomy - Laparoscopy (abdominal keyhole surgery)
Ovariectomy (spey), cryptorchid castration, laparasopic assisted prophylactic gastropexy, exploratory surgery and organ biopsy - Urogenital surgery
Ureteral ectopica, nephrolithiasis, ureterolithiasis, urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence - Hernias
Perineal, diaphragmatic, abdominal traumatic and inguinal hernias - Head and neck surgery
Salivary mucocoele, cleft palate, total ear canal ablation, ventral bulla osteotomy
Orthopaedic Surgery
Cutting-edge equipment such as arthroscopy instrumentation, locking plate technology, interlocking nails and circular and linear external skeletal fixation enable the surgery department to reliably and successfully address almost any orthopaedic issue. Commonly performed procedures include:
- Fracture management
Access to a comprehensive range of internal and external fixation modalities facilitates appropriate treatment plans for most fracture configurations - Cranial cruciate ligament rupture
Arthroscopic joint evaluation and meniscal surgery
Joint stabilisation via the TTA, TTO, Tightrope, LARS or lateral suture techniques - Medial patella luxation
Block recession sulcoplasty, tibial tuberosity transposition, distal femoral ostectomy and soft tissue techniques - Hip dysplasia
Juvenile pubic symphysodesis (JPS), triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO), coxo-femoral denervation and femoral head ostectomy (FHO) - Elbow dysplasia
Elbow CT, arthroscopy, distal ulna osteotomy, proximal ulna osteotomy, proximal abducting ulna osteotomy (PAUL) - Limb deformity correction
Radiographic and CT planning, rapid prototype modelling, acute or gradual deformity correction via bone plating, hybrid or circular external skeletal fixation - Osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD)
CT, arthroscopic evaluation and treatment
Neurosurgery
An on-site 16 slice helical CT scanner, in conjunction with fluoroscopy and myelography, enables accurate localisation and characterisation of most surgical neurological lesions. Commonly treated conditions include:
- Intervertebral disc disease
Ventral slot, hemilaminectomy and dorsal laminectomy techniques - Spinal fracture/luxations
Pin and polymethylmethacrylate or locking plate fixation - Cervical spondylomyelopathy
Decompressive and distraction/stabilisation techniques - Lumbosacral disease
Decompressive and stabilisation/fusion techniques
Oncological and reconstructive surgery
Most soft tissue and orthopaedic surgical neoplastic conditions can typically be addressed at the VMC. Adjunctive therapies such as chemotherapy can also be provided by the internal medicine service if required.
Advanced Diagnostic Imaging
- Digital radiography, CT, Ultrasound, Fluoroscopy and Scintigraphy
