Orthopaedic Surgery

What is orthopaedic surgery?
Orthopaedic surgery relates to surgery of your pet’s bones. Commonly our vets perform orthopaedic surgeries to repair broken bones or correct defects such as luxating patella and ruptured cruciate ligaments in dogs.

If your pet requires orthopaedic surgery our friendly staff will explain to you exactly what’s involved and what you’ll need to do, but here are the basics.

In the morning
The pet will be admitted into our surgical ward in the morning. Our dedicated staff will be on hand to care for your pet. We’ll do a pre-anaesthetic exam and usually sedate your pet an hour or two before the surgery is scheduled.

During surgery
General anaesthesia will be administered by our vet surgeon and anaesthesia is monitored under close observation from a team of experienced nursing staff. While the veterinary surgeon operates, the nurses continue to monitor your pet’s heart and respiratory rate. Pain relieving medication is administered after surgery and we continue to monitor the pet during the recovery stage to ensure that they are clean, dry, warm and settled.

What then?
In most cases pets are able to return home once they are awake, walking, and have minimum discomfort. If there are any concerns about a pet’s recovery we may keep them in overnight for observation – your pet’s health is our top priority. Upon discharge, we will provide you with comprehensive post-surgery care instructions.

If you’re worried about your pet’s health, call South Hedland Veterinary Hospital on (08) 9172 1608.