Veterinary Surgery
We offer a wide range of surgical procedures for cats and dogs at our Des Moines clinic, using stringent surgical protocols.
In the course of each surgery, a dedicated nurse will administer anesthesia and continuously monitor your pet using our dedicated patient monitoring devices. We will also be sure to provide your with pain management.
Post-operative monitoring and pain management are our priorities following surgery. Your vet will also provide thorough instructions for at-home care.
What to Expect from Surgery
We will always keep you fully informed about why we are recommending a given surgical procedure. We will also advise your about any preparation or post-operative care you will need to provide for your pet at home. We always practice stringent surgical protocols.
Surgical Procedures
At Des Moines Veterinary Hospital, we perform emergency and elective medical surgeries in order to help treat conditions and diseases in pets, as well as to repair injuries sustained through trauma.
Our Des Moines vets routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:
- Soft Tissue Surgery
For pets suffering from ear, nose, and throat disorders, we offer soft tissue surgical procedures.
These procedures can also be used to treat oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, urogenital, hepatic and skin disorders.
- Spaying & Neutering
When we spay or neuter a cat or dog, we surgically sterilize them to prevent disease and provide them with an extended life expectancy.
- C-Sections
During Caesarean sections, we surgically remove puppies or kittens from their mother's uterus.
C-sections are typically performed when the mother is unable to give birth naturally.
- Mass Removal
Cats and dogs may develop masses associated with their skin. These masses can also grow within their body cavity and become serious, or even life-threatening.
Mass removal surgery is a fairly common procedure for both cats and dogs.
- Foreign Body
Sometimes, foreign objects are ingested or can get stuck inside a cat's or dog's body.
Whether your pet has ingested an object they shouldn't have, or an accident has left them injured, we are able to perform foreign body surgery in order to help remove it.
In some cases, specialized skills or equipment are needed to perform pet surgery. If that is the case for your animal, your vet will refer you to a cat or dog surgeon near Des Moines and work closely with your veterinary surgeon to ensure that your dog or cat receives the very best care.
- Wounds
Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged.
It's important that these injuries be disinfected, cleaned and cared for by a qualified veterinary professional as soon as is possible.
- Dental Surgery
Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats. These surgeries can range from tooth extractions to gum disease treatment and jaw fracture repairs.
The Surgery Process
We know that the prospect of bringing your pet in for surgery can be an intimidating one. But please be assured that we only recommend veterinary surgery when it is in your pet's best interests.
We will ensure that you fully understand why we are recommending surgery, and that you are comfortable making the decision to move ahead.
If your pet requires advanced care, our vets will refer you to a veterinary surgeon near Des Moines, and work closely with your vet surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care.
Surgical protocols at our clinic include:
Pre-surgical assessments. We will confirm the specifics of the procedure, complete a physical examination of the patient, and make sure blood tests have been completed and reviewed by the vet in order to determine if your pet faces any risk of anesthesia-related complications.
Dedicated surgical suites. We perform surgeries in our dedicated surgical suite. The room is kept entirely sterile to prevent cross-contamination or infection.
Surgical attire. Our staff wear disposable caps and masks at all times when they are in the surgical suite. Those involved in the procedure itself will also wear sterile gowns and single-use gloves.
Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment prior to every surgery.
Exotic Pet Surgeries
Our Des Moines Veterinary Hospital team is able to provide state-of-the-art surgical services not only to common domestic pets like dogs and cats but to exotic pets like birds, amphibians, small mammals and reptiles too.
Regardless of the kind of pet, our vets are able to assess, diagnose and provide advanced surgical treatments to help restore their health when they need it most. We follow the same stringent safety protocols for surgical procedures for exotic pets as we do for dogs and cats, providing pain management, post-operative monitoring and hospitalization if it is required.
We only recommend surgical procedures when they are in the best interests of your exotic pet and want to assure you that our veterinary team has both the experience and the specialized knowledge to provide for your pet's health with these procedures, safely and effectively.