Veterinary Surgery

Surgical Procedures

At Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital, we perform medical and urgent care surgeries to help treat diseases and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.

Our Sacramento 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 are also available for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, 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. 

• Ocular

  If your pet is experiencing pain, redness, or other symptoms in or around their eyes, they may need ocular surgery.

  Common ocular procedures for cats and dogs include eyelid tumor removal, cataract surgery, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery, exenteration of the orbit, and cherry eye surgery.

  If your cat or dog requires a veterinary surgical specialist to perform the surgery, our veterinarians will refer you to a pet surgeon near Sacramento and work closely with your animal surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care. 

• Mass Removal

  Cats and dogs can develop masses associated with the skin. Masses can also grow inside a body cavity and can be serious or 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 eaten an object they shouldn't have or an accident has left them injured, we can perform foreign body surgery to 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 Sacramento 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 imperative that these wounds be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately cared for by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible. 

• Urethrectomy

  During a urethrectomy, our vets remove all or part of a cat's or dog's ureter.

• Cystotomy

  During a cystotomy, an incision is made into the dog or cat's urinary bladder to facilitate the removal of bladder stones and/or urethral stones.

• Orthopedic Surgery

  Orthopedic surgeries correct injuries and diseases of the bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other skeletal structures in your pet.

  At Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital, we can bring in a licensed orthopedic vet surgeon from the Sacramento area if your dog or cat is suffering from a condition or injury that requires advanced specialized care.

• 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 understand that the prospect of bringing your pet in for surgery can be frightening. Please be assured that we recommend surgery only when it is in the best interests of your furry companion. 

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, we will refer you to an on-call board-certified specialist veterinary surgeon. We work together with local specialists in and around Sacramento to ensure the highest quality care for our patients.

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. Surgeries are performed in a dedicated surgical suite. This room is kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.

Surgical attire. Our staff wears 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.