Surgery

A Veterinarian who is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons has been specifically trained in the practice of surgery. Only those veterinarians who have successfully completed the certification requirements of the ACVS are Diplomates, and have earned the right
to be called specialists in veterinary surgery.


The Surgery service at Upstate Veterinary Specialties consists of a team including surgeons, surgical technicians and assistants dedicated to helping you and your pet when they are in need of a surgical procedure. The entire staff has gone through extensive training to provide your pet with the highest levels of expertise available. Upstate Veterinary Specialties surgery department is fully equipped for arthroscopic, neurologic, orthopedic and soft tissue procedures.

All clients presenting to the surgical service have an initial consultation with the Surgeon. The consultation will include a physical exam and review of all information sent by your primary care veterinarian (bloodwork, radiographs etc.) as well as discussion with you of the pertinent history. The Surgeon will then discuss with you your pet’s condition, all treatment options, and prognosis. Furthermore, prior to any work being done, an estimate of all costs (including surgery, anesthesia, medications, follow up visits etc.) will be provided to you.

Here at UVS it is of the utmost importance that our patients are safe and pain free prior to, during and after the surgical procedure. We set up detailed anesthetic and pain management protocols utilizing multi-faceted approaches tailored to best treat each patient. We have equipped the OR with the latest anesthesia equipment available which allows us to closely monitor our patients and make appropriate decisions based on information in a timely fashion. To maximize our patient's comfort and minimize their stress levels patients receive pain medication prior to, during and after surgery. This includes the use of epidurals, pain patches, local and regional nerve blocks and constant rate infusions. The entire staff has been trained and makes it a priority to recognize signs of pain in our patients so that their experience is as pleasant as possible.

Post-operative patient care is as important to us as the surgical procedure itself. Therefore we provide Doctor and nursing care 24 hours a day to monitor our patient’s needs and address them on a minute to minute basis. Our surgeons are available 24 hours a day for consultation with the staff and they review and adjust orders daily. Typically if an animal is placed under general anesthesia they will remain in the hospital overnight, and only after our patients have recovered from surgery and anesthesia, are comfortable and safe, do we decide that they are ready for discharge. When your pet is discharged from the hospital you will be given detailed, written discharge instructions that will be reviewed with you. We are always available for your questions – we want you to feel like you can call anytime – even for the little things.