Veterinary Surgery

What to Expect from Surgery

Our veterinarians will always keep you fully informed about why we are recommending a surgical procedure as well as provide you with the information you need about any post-operative care that your pet will need while at home. 

Surgical Procedures

At Avenue Animal Hospital, we perform medical and emergency surgeries to help treat diseases and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trauma.

Our Saint John 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 urogenital, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal and skin disorders in pets.

• Spaying & Neutering

  When spaying or neutering a dog or cat, we surgically sterilize them in order to prevent disease, curb problematic behaviours and extend their life expectancy. 

• C-Sections

  During Cesarean 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 companion is experiencing redness, pain or discomfort in or around their eyes, they may require some kind of ocular surgery.

  Commonly administered ocular procedures at Avenue Animal Hospital include tumour removal, ectropion surgery, entropion surgery 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 and work closely with them 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 instances, specialized veterinarians or advanced equipment that we don't have in our facility will be required to treat your pet. In these cases, our vets will refer you to a dog or cat surgeon in the Saint John area and will work closely with them to make sure your pet gets the care they need 

• 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. 

• Dental Surgery

  Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats as part of their dental care. 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 to see us for surgical treatment can be a bit of a frightening one. Because of this, we want to assure you that we take pains to only recommend surgeries when they are in the best interests of your companion.

We will explain our reasoning for recommending surgery as a treatment option for your pet and will ensure that you are comfortable with making the decision to move ahead.

If your pet requires advanced care, our vets will refer you to a veterinary surgeon near Saint John, 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 make sure we have the specifics of the procedure clearly outlined and will conduct a comprehensive examination of your patient - making sure that blood tests have been completed and reviewed to check for risk of anaesthesia-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 all wear disposable caps and masks while in the surgical suite. Those who are involved in the procedure itself will also wear gloves and sterile gowns to help to prevent complications and promote cleanliness.

Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment prior to every surgery.