Surgery
We offer a variety of surgical procedures including minimally invasive surgeries, soft tissue surgeries, and dental surgeries. At Hempfield Animal Hospital we understand how stressful bringing your pet in for surgery can be. This is why we strive to make each and every procedure as stress-free as possible for both our patients and their owners. On the morning of surgery, a technician will record all necessary information for you and your pet, answer any questions or concerns you may have, and obtain an emergency contact number so that we may keep you informed of your pet's progress during their stay with us.
Pre-Anesthetic Protocol
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is crucial in reducing the risk of anesthesia. Every pet can benefit from blood testing before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot be detected without blood testing. Identifying any issues beforehand helps prevent anesthetic or surgical complications. We routinely use an I.V catheter and fluids on all of our procedures, feline and canine alike. This is important for maintaining blood pressure and perfusion to the kidneys and other organs, as well as allowing immediate I.V access in the event of an emergency. This proactive approach ensures a safer procedure and promotes your pet’s overall health.
Dental Procedures
Tartar, broken teeth, gingivitis, bad breath, and abscesses are commonly found in dogs’ and cats’ mouths. If these conditions are left untreated, your pet can suffer pain or discomfort as well as bacterial spread through their body, which will affect their heart, liver, and kidneys. We have a full-service dental system equipped with digital dental radiographs. These dental x-rays can be used to diagnose disease below the gum line and then treat it accordingly.
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Soft Tissue Procedures
We perform many types of soft tissue surgeries at our clinic. Soft tissue surgeries are those that are not associated with bone. These surgeries can provide many benefits to pets.
Probably the most common soft tissue surgery performed on pets is the removal of masses, or lumps. Most of these masses, once removed can then be tested. Early removal and accurate diagnosis of a lump is necessary to improve the overall outcome for your pet.
Spays and Neuters
Spaying or neutering your pet can help them live a longer, healthier life, minimize behavior problems, and help control the population of unwanted dogs and cats. We use pain management in conjunction with anesthesia to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible during the procedure and after they are discharged.
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Anesthesia
We take pride in ensuring that our patient’s anesthetic procedures are as safe as possible. Using the most modern equipment, the patient’s vital signs are monitored during all anesthetic procedures.​ A technician as well as our doctor's are present during all stages of anesthesia: pre-medicating, inducing anesthesia, maintaining a good level of anesthesia, as well as in the recovery period.
Pain and Take Home Medication
The type of pain or take home medication needed depends on the surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than minor ones like lacerations. ​Our doctor's may recommend an oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication starting the day after surgery to reduce discomfort and swelling. ​As dogs and cats do not tolerate standard pain medications like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, or Tylenol, our doctors administer a long lasting pain injection prior to surgery. Any post-surgery pain medication is given as needed.
Because we want to ensure that our patients receive the best possible outcome, we occasionally refer them to specialists (board-certified veterinary surgeons) to perform complex operations when advanced equipment or training will be beneficial. Our veterinary team takes every precaution so that your pet receives the highest-quality care available.