Small Animal Surgery
Small Animal Surgical Services are available for internally referred cases ONLY.
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 internal referral only. Please discuss with your regular UQ VETS veterinarian at your appointment.
In emergency situation patients may be seen through our Emergency and Critical Care Service. If surgery is required our ECC team will discuss the options that are available with you for your pet’s individual circumstances.
For Veterinarians
We are temporarily not offering a specialist referral based Surgical Service to external clinics.
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 and laryngeal paralysis - Thoracic surgery
Lung lobectomy, and subtotal pericardectomy - Laparoscopy (abdominal keyhole surgery)
Ovariectomy (spey), cryptorchid castration, laparasopic assisted prophylactic gastropexy, exploratory surgery and organ biopsy - Hernias
Perineal, diaphragmatic, abdominal traumatic and inguinal hernias - Head and neck surgery
Salivary mucocoele, cleft palate, total ear canal ablation
Orthopaedic Surgery
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
Joint stabilisation via the TPLO, TTA, 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, 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
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
- Lumbosacral disease
Oncological and reconstructive surgery
Most soft tissue and orthopaedic surgical neoplastic conditions can typically be addressed at UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital. Adjunctive therapies such as chemotherapy can also be provided by the internal medicine service if required.
Advanced Diagnostic Imaging
- Digital radiography, CT, Ultrasound and Fluoroscopy
