Comprehensive Surgical Services: From Routine Procedures to Specialized Care

At Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center (OPVMC), we provide a comprehensive suite of surgical services for your pets. From routine procedures to highly-specialized surgeries, our skilled team is here to ensure the best care for your pet.

Specialized Surgical Procedures: Expertise with a Gentle Touch

If your pet requires specialized surgery, our dedicated team provides continual care and observation until your pet is ready to go home.

Emergency Surgery

Emergencies can happen anytime, and our capable team stands ready to perform life saving procedures day or night, including weekends. Your pet's life is our priority, and we'll be here when you need us. Our capable team will evaluate the nature of the emergency and provide stabilizing treatment until we are able to proceed with surgery. In some cases, surgical treatment can be provided immediately.

Surgical Anesthesia: Safety First

We believe that there are no inherently absolutely “safe” anesthetic drugs, only safe anesthetists. At OPVMC, this philosophy underscores our strict adherence to safety protocols. We conduct comprehensive examinations before anesthesia, using state-of-the-art diagnostic tools like ECG, ultrasound, and radiographs. During the surgery, your pet's vital signs are closely monitored, ensuring a smooth and secure experience.

Surgical Treatment Plan: Transparent Care

A clear, written treatment plan accompanies every surgery. Our veterinarians work closely with you to ensure you fully understand all recommendations. Your pet's well-being is a collaborative effort, and we value your trust and understanding.

Spay & Neuter: A Healthy Choice for Your Pet

Spaying and neutering prevent unwanted litters and offer significant health benefits. By eliminating the risk of specific tumors and infections, these procedures contribute to a longer, healthier life for your pet.

Laser Surgery

OPVMC offers a range of laser surgery procedures tailored to your pet's needs and conditions. Whether a routine operation or a complex surgical intervention, our skilled surgeons use advanced laser technology to provide precision and efficiency.

How Laser Surgery Works

Laser surgery employs a highly-focused laser beam, which vaporizes living tissue with extreme precision. Depending on the specific need, this beam of light energy can be controlled and manipulated to cut, coagulate, or vaporize tissue.

Cutting: The laser beam can act as a scalpel, cutting through tissue with minimal trauma.
Coagulation: Adjusting the beam's properties can seal small blood vessels and capillaries, reducing bleeding.
Vaporization: The laser can ablate or remove unwanted tissue, like tumors or warts.

The surgeon's control over the laser beam's intensity, duration, and focus enables a highly customizable and precise approach to different surgical needs.

Advantages of Laser Surgery

The use of laser surgery in veterinary medicine offers many advantages for both the patient and the surgeon:

Less Bleeding: The laser seals small blood vessels as it cuts, which minimizes blood loss.
Reduced Pain: By sealing nerve endings, the laser reduces postoperative pain.
Minimized Swelling: With its precision, the laser avoids unnecessary trauma to surrounding tissue, leading to less swelling.
Lower Risk of Infection: The laser sterilizes the incision as it cuts, lowering the chance of bacterial infection.
Enhanced Visibility: Reduced bleeding gives the surgeon a clearer view of the operating site, allowing for more precise work.
Quicker Recovery: The combination of less pain, swelling, and infection risk often leads to faster healing and a more comfortable recovery process for the pet.
Versatility: Laser surgery can be applied to a wide range of procedures, from routine to specialized surgeries.

Benefits for Pet Patients

Laser surgery can make the surgical experience significantly more comfortable for your pet:

Less Trauma: With its precision, laser surgery often means smaller incisions and less tissue damage.
Comfort: Reduced pain and swelling make for a more relaxed post-operative experience.
Quicker Return to Normal Activity: With a more rapid healing process, pets often return to regular routines more quickly.
Increased Surgical Options: Some procedures that might be risky with conventional methods can be safely performed with lasers.

Veterinary Neurology & Neurosurgery

OPVMC offers top-tier neurology and neurosurgical services led by board-certified neurologist and neurosurgeon Dr. Arielle Herberger. Specializing in diagnosing, treating, and managing complex neurologic conditions affecting the spinal cord, brain, muscles, and nerves, we use state-of-the-art imaging and diagnostic tools, including onsite MRI and CT machines.

Dr. Herberger collaborates with specialists in surgery, internal medicine, and oncology to provide comprehensive and compassionate care tailored to each patient's needs. From thorough neurological exams to cutting-edge medical and surgical therapies, OPVMC sets the standard in veterinary neurological care.

Laparoscopy - Minimally Invasive Diagnostics and Procedures

OPVMC offers veterinary laparoscopy, a minimally-invasive approach to examining and treating organs in the abdomen. This technique involves small incisions and specialized instruments, including a scope for magnified visualization.

Laparoscopy is known for its less painful recovery, shorter anesthesia time, and reduced risk of infection. Diagnostic procedures such as biopsies and surgical techniques like ovariectomy and prophylactic gastropexy are performed at OPVMC using this method. Dr. Paul Kloc offers a range of laparoscopic procedures for canine and feline patients, emphasizing safety and efficiency.

Available Surgical Procedures

Orthopedic

Bone plate repair
Interlocking nail repair
Radius-ulna
Fracture repair—Pins, plates, screws, external fixation, and interlocking nails
Femoral head and neck ostectomy
Cranial cruciate ligament surgery
Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy and extracapsular repair
Patellar luxation
Osteochondritis dissecans
Tendon injuries
Maxillary and mandibular fracture repair
Triple pelvic osteotomy
Arthrodesis
Elbow dysplasia
Bicipital tenodesis
Angular limb deformities
Coxofemoral luxations

Gastrointestinal

Gastric and intestinal neoplasia and foreign bodies
Gastropexy
Insulinomas
Pancreatic abscesses and cysts
Esophageal foreign bodies
Subtotal colectomy of megacolon
Hepatobiliary
Extrahepatic portosystemic shunts
Biliary diversions
Cholecystectomy
Partial hepatectomy
Laparoscopic liver biopsies
Laparoscopic assisted gastropexy
Laparoscopic assisted intestinal biopsies

Skin and Reconstructive

Trauma surgery
Skin flaps
Skin grafts
Musculoskeletal injuries
Anal sacculectomy
Oncologic surgery

General Abdominal

Exploratory for biopsies
Splenectomy
Diaphragmatic hernias
Traumatic hernias
Peritoneal-pericardial hernias
Adrenal tumors

Neurosurgery

Hemilaminectomy or laminectomy
Ventral slot
Atlanto-axial luxations
Spinal fractures
Caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy (wobblers)

Thoracic

Spontaneous pneumothorax
Patent ductus arteriosus
Pericardectomy
Lung tumors
Persistent right aortic arch
Chylothorax
Thoracic wall resections

Urogenital

Nephrectomy
Nephrotomy
Cystotomy
Bladder tumors
Ectopic ureters
Urethrotomy
Urethrostomy-scrotal, perineal
Prostatic abscesses
Prostatic biopsy
Periprostatic cysts
Vaginal tumors
Perianal hernias
Episioplasty
Laparoscopic ovariectomy

Head and Neck

Ear canal ablations
Bulla osteotomy
Vertical canal resections
Mandibulectomy
Maxillectomy
Salivary mucoceles
Laryngeal paralysis surgery
Tracheostomy
Thyroidectomy
Parathyroidectomy
Brachycephalic airway surgery
Cleft palate repair

Referral Process

If your pet is being referred to OPVMC for specialty services, rest assured that you and your pet are in good hands. Here is what you can expect: Your primary care veterinarian will complete the OPVMC Referral Form and will send OPVMC a copy of your pet’s pertinent records.

Once we have received the necessary records and Referral Form, our Referral Coordinator will contact you to schedule an initial consultation with the appropriate specialty department. Please allow up to 48 hours for them to contact you.
Diagnostics and/or procedures are not guaranteed to happen on the day of the consultation. If they are to be performed that day, you may be asked to admit your pet to the hospital for the remainder of the day.
Please be aware that some diagnostics performed with your primary veterinarian may need to be repeated due to when the test was originally performed. Having the most accurate and up to date information will assist our specialists in determining the best treatment plan for your beloved pet.
Although we may be able to provide a rough estimate for common procedures, all services are patient specific. The veterinarian will be able to provide you with a cost estimate after the consultation.
*If your pet requires immediate emergency care, please utilize our emergency services. Our specialists may be able to accommodate an emergency consultation if the attending Critical Care veterinarian deems it necessary. *