Small Animal Surgery - Veterinary Medicine at Illinois

Absolutely love and am grateful for the whole orthopedic staff who have treated and loved George like their own through two unfortunate leg breaks. I am grateful for their patience and compassion when addressing my fears, worries and concerns!

-Mindi

Our Service

In conjunction with outstanding diagnostic, imaging, pain management, and rehabilitation services, the small animal surgery service offers state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment for orthopedic and soft tissue conditions.

Orthopedic Surgery

This area focuses on surgical and medical treatments for orthopedic and neurological diseases.

Orthopedic conditions and services:

Angular limb deformities
Arthroscopic joint exploration
Canine hip dysplasia
Cranial cruciate ligament disease
Degenerative joint disease
Diseases of the elbow and shoulder
Fracture repair
Patella luxation (dislocated knee)

Special capabilities:

C-arm radiology during surgery
Fluoroscopy-guided fracture repair
Locking plate fracture fixation
PennHIP radiographic screening for risk of developing degenerative joint disease in dogs as young as 16 weeks

Learn more about orthopedic surgery. Read our FAQ page.

Soft Tissue/ Oncologic Surgery

This service area provides surgical expertise for animals with surgical diseases of the soft tissues of the body and also works extensively with many small animals presenting to our cancer care clinic.

Common soft tissue surgeries and special capabilities include:

Head and neck surgery, such as total ear canal ablation, brachycephalic airway surgery including the LATE (Laser-Assisted TurbinEctomy) procedure, salivary gland surgery, and thyroid surgery
Thoracic tissue and organ surgery, including surgery of the heart, lungs, and chest wall as well as the trachea, esophagus, and thoracic duct. Common procedures include treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and lung lobectomy
Abdominal tissue and organ surgery, from hernia repair to advanced urinary tract surgery, including urinary microsurgery. Common procedures include those related to the liver, gallbladder and biliary tree, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, kidneys, ureters, and urinary bladder
Laparoscopic assisted procedures, including laparoscopic spay, cryptorchidectomy, prophylactic gastropexy, and laparoscopic liver and other tissue biopsy
Skin and reconstructive surgery for wounds and mass removal, as well as limb, digit, and tail amputation

Learn more about soft tissue surgery. Read our FAQ page.