Village Vet have multiple options available for pets who may need an orthopaedic procedure to treat injuries or conditions such as fractured bones, ruptured cruciate ligaments or luxating patella’s.
These problems require an examination with one of our vets, who may also need to take some x-rays to confirm their diagnosis. If it is decided that your pet would benefit best from a surgical procedure, you will likely be offered these three options:
Surgery with one of our vets
Several of our vets are able to perform certain orthopaedic procedures. We have a range of surgical equipment suitable for these procedures across Village Vet. We will advise you on your options if your pet needs this type of surgery.
Surgery with an external specialist
For more complex procedures, or if more sophisticated equipment is required, we have contacts of specialist orthopaedic surgeons who can travel to Village Vet performing these surgeries at one of our branches. All follow up care will be provided by our vets and nurses.
Referral to a specialist centre
Even if your pet requires a procedure that can be performed by one of our vets, referral to a specialist practice is always an option. However, some orthopaedic procedures, such as total hip replacements or spinal surgery will require a whole team of specialist staff and equipment. Your pet may also need to stay hospitalised, sometimes for a few weeks, for round the clock care and support.
This will usually involve administering regular pain relief, providing physiotherapy to aid healing and mobility, and making sure your pet receives the specialist care and attention needed for complete rehabilitation. In these cases, referral is almost always recommended. If you and our vet decide that referral is the best option for your pet, we will contact the referral centre to pass on your pets’ details, a clinical history and any x-rays that we may have taken.
The referral centre will then contact you to arrange an initial consultation. They will also usually oversee your pets follow up care.
We know that veterinary care is not ‘one size fits all’, so giving our clients the option to choose where their pet is treated and who will be caring for them is important to us. These choices also mean that there are treatment options open to every pet and their owner. If you are finding it hard to make a decision about which option is best for your pet, our vets and nurses will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and discuss each option in more detail.
There may be a fee applied for arranging a referral with us.
For more information please call your local Village Vet veterinary practice in London, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
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