Surgery

Reptile surgery can be very complicated. Luckily in this day & age of Reptile Medicine, we are afforded several options for anesthetic as well as surgical techniques. This lecture will present a few in order to give an overview of some of the current options available to the practitioner.

As with any surgical procedure in any species; prior to cutting it is important to familiarize oneself with the relevant anatomical and physiological details of the species. A very detailed discussion of these two topics is beyond the scope of this presentation but the reader is strongly advised to familiarize oneself with these topics by the references listed below.

Reptile surgery is performed under general anesthesia, observing sterile technique, with appropriate monitoring and supportive care. The true strength layer for reptiles is the skin. To prevent dysecdysis after a skin incision heals, an everting suture pattern is used.

Can patients with this disease be treated successfully with surgery?

Always perform aggressive medical therapy when treating tracheal collapse.

Columbia, Mo. - While Dr. James Cook decided early on in life to tackle joint replacements, it was a circuitous route-a path that involved professional water skiing, substitute teaching and a man named Robert Gordon-that led him to the brink of a major discovery.

Stay sutures keep ears in perfect position.

How to diagnose and effectively treat GI obstructions.

Why laminitis is not a big concern when performing this procedure.

Why you may want to consider a total hip replacement in a large dog.

When and how to perform this procedure.

A challenge with using this procedure.

A new study hypothesizes that surgical vs. medical treatment would result in different survival times.

Why surgery is likely the best option.

Signs of intervertebral disk disease in dogs.

Drs. Joseph Bojrab and Philip VanVranken talk about surgical technique, suture choices, and more.

A kid reconsiders his veterinary aspirations after suiting up for a surgery.

The most effective way to ensure that animals adopted from shelters do not reproduce is to spay or neuter them before adoption.

Tips to promote optimal healing, keep patients comfortable, and avoid complications.

Use a towel warmer to warm the towels you place on anesthetized patients.

When should you consider this procedure?

When this type of wound closure is indicated.

Despite numerous critical care advances and increased pet owner awareness, gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is still associated with high morbidity and mortality.

A commercially available synthetic canine pheromone is marketed to produce a calming effect in dogs encountering stressful situations such as kenneling, separation anxiety, and fear.

In place of traditional ovariohysterectomies, consider this technique, which results in a quicker recovery time as well as less pain.

When medical management is no longer adequate, patients with tracheal collapse need more aggressive surgical intervention.

Tissue replicas are helping students at CSU perfect their surgical techniques.

Which form of surgical treatment is best?

Exposing dogs to a synthetic pheromone before surgery may help the dogs be more comfortable perioperatively.

This practice manager received a big dose of inspiration when his hospital went the extra mile for the littlest, neediest patient.