Orthopedic Surgery
At Veterinary Surgical Specialists
With best-in-class medicine, technology, and an expert team, we’re fully prepared to provide the complete, compassionate care your pet needs.
With best-in-class medicine, technology, and an expert team, we’re fully prepared to provide the complete, compassionate care your pet needs.
We are one of the first specialty hospitals to receive an Accredited Referral Practice designation, which means over 900 quality standards of our practice are consistently evaluated by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
At our state-of-the-art facility, all we do is perform advanced, technical surgeries every day. Our board-certified veterinary surgeons trained at some of the most prestigious veterinary teaching hospitals in the country, and are recognized nationwide as leaders in the field of orthopedic surgery.
Our purpose-built hospital is dedicated exclusively to surgery, allowing the team to focus on solutions that prioritize your pet’s comfort and your peace of mind.
Veterinary orthopedic surgery involves the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions related to a pet’s musculoskeletal system — including bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons.
Following a comprehensive exam and diagnostics, we can determine the best course of treatment for your pet. We choose the least invasive surgical procedure available so their recovery can be as swift and pain-free as possible. This means we stay on the leading edge of new procedures and approaches.
Each pet family receives a personalized plan for their pet’s procedure, pain management, recovery, rehabilitation, medications, and follow-up care. Providing the best possible quality of life is always our goal.
Our expert surgical team members are leaders in the field of veterinary orthopedics — and it shows by looking at our patient outcomes and best-in-class care.
We want you and your pet to have the best experience possible. To schedule a surgical consultation, please contact us.
At the initial consult, we will provide an all-inclusive price for TPLO, which covers all exams, procedure and recovery, initial medications, post-op X-rays, and day-of-surgery bloodwork.
The staff at VSS are available for you to call for updates on your pet any time during their stay with us, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You and your dog will have a consultation with a board-certified veterinary surgeon, which includes a physical exam, explanation of options, viewing an animation of the TPLO procedure, and answering all your questions.
The procedure is performed by the same surgeon you met with during your initial consult. Your pet will receive anesthesia and pain management and will wake up in a heated bed, surrounded by our compassionate team.
You can rest easy knowing your pet will be monitored, supported and kept comfortable with antibiotics and pain medication 24/7. Our veterinary technicians are happy to send photos as requested during their post-op stay.
All the medications (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and pain) your pet needs to come home and be comfortable during their recovery are provided. We often use long-acting regional anesthesia, greatly decreasing the need for narcotics.
We'll provide instructions to help your pet have the most successful recovery. Confinement to safe, indoor spaces and brief walks while on a leash will be recommended to help them heal fully.
Post-surgical appointments to check on the status of your pet include bandage removal at three to five days, suture removal at two weeks, then post-op X-rays at six weeks. You can also feel free to call us any time.
Extracapsular stifle stabilization for CCL injury
Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA)
Femoral head osteotomy (FHA)
Hip luxation
PENN-hip evaluation
Total hip replacement
Proximal abducting ulnar osteotomy (PAUL)
Sliding humeral osteotomy (SHO)
External fixators
Internal fixation
Occurs when the dog's patella (kneecap) shifts out of alignment
Correction of limb deformities - circular fixator
Joint replacement of elbow and knee
Understand more about your pet’s condition and treatment options.
At VSS, all we do is perform advanced, technical surgeries every day our state-of-the-art facility. Our board-certified veterinary surgeons have trained at some of the most prestigious veterinary teaching hospitals in the country, and are leaders in the field of orthopedic surgery, with over 70 years of combined surgical experience. Additionally, VSS is Southern California’s premier animal surgical hospital and one of the first specialty hospitals to receive an Accredited Referral Practice designation, which means over 900 quality standards of our practice are consistently evaluated by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Unlike human hospitals, accreditation for a veterinary hospital is voluntary. Rest assured, we hold ourselves to that higher standard every day. But all that means nothing without the compassion and dedication to service from our highly trained and experienced team members. In short, you can expect the best from VSS from the very start.
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