Soft Tissue Surgery

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 besides routine spays and neuters, are the removal of masses or lumps. Most of these masses, once removed and tested, are found to be benign (non harmful); however, occasionally they are more serious. Early removal and accurate diagnosis of a lump is necessary to improve the outcome in your pet if the mass is cancerous.

Surgery can also help resolve several problems related to the eyes. Tearing in your pet’s eyes can mean an infection is present or may be a sign that the cornea (outer layer of the eye) has been damaged. Sometimes the conformation of the eyelids are abnormally causing damage to the cornea and can be repaired with surgical correction. Surgical intervention improves comfort in these pets, reduces the chances of corneal scarring, and enhances the pet’s vision in the long term.

We also perform abdominal procedures to remove tumors, intestinal and gastric foreign bodies. There are a variety of other soft tissue surgical procedures that we perform on a routine and emergency basis.

Laparoscopic Surgery

• Up to 65% less post-operative pain
• Less surgical stress
• Quicker recovery time
• Less risk of post-operative wound infection and complication
• A gentle alternative to conventional dog spay surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive technique used to view the inside of the abdomen. A laparoscope (tiny camera) is inserted through a small incision site and used to magnify the internal view of the abdomen onto a TV monitor. This allows the veterinarian to do a more thorough abdominal examination while creating a much smaller incision site. Traditional abdominal exploratory surgery (Laparotomy) requires extensive incisions. With a laparoscope, most incisions are less than an inch in length.

With a laparoscope, surgery can be performed by using very thin, specially designed instruments through the same tiny incisions. This minimizes tissue trauma, decreases pain, and speeds patient recovery. Laparoscopic surgery is used for many different surgical procedures including dog spay, cat spay, biopsy, gastropexy, and abdominal exploratory surgery.

The goal at Abilene Animal Hospital is to minimize your pet’s pain. With the assistance of laparoscopic surgery, we hope to get your pets back to playing ball or snoozing in the sunshine as soon as possible. If your pet requires surgery, ask if laparoscopy may be a less traumatic and less painful option.