Small Animal Surgery

a veterinary student performs a neuter surgery on a pet at the University of Illinois. Photo by Fred Zwicky

“Spay” and “neuter” are words frequently heard by owners of a new puppy, kitten, dog, or cat visiting the veterinary clinic. While spaying or neutering may be a requirement when adopting from a shelter and…
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Dr. Hadley Gleason gives dog an examination

CCL Injuries in Dogs: What They Are, How to Fix Them

May 08, 2023

According to Dr. Hadley Gleason, a board-certified veterinary orthopedic surgeon at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injuries are the No. 1 reason pet owners see her for…
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[Hannah Bailey after the procedure]

Minimally Invasive Procedure Fixes Puppy’s Problem

July 01, 2020

Treatment for Persistent Right Aortic Arch Hannah Bailey was sick. The six-month-old mixed-breed puppy couldn’t keep food down. She had lost weight. Her local veterinarian diagnosed an enlarged esophagus and suggested that her new owners…
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[deuces walking 2 days after surgery]

I-Loc: Bone Fracture Repair Option Comes to Illinois

November 12, 2019

Two Days After Surgery Deuces Was Walking Dr. Danielle Marturello, a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery, brought an innovative option for fracture repair with her when she recently joined the University of Illinois College…
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[Rex the police dog goes home from the hospital]

Police Dog’s Twisted Spleen a Serious Problem

November 06, 2017

Splenic Torsion Requires Surgery For about a week in early September, Rex, a canine officer with the Decatur Police Department, had been lethargic and not himself. His handler took Rex several times to see the…
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[the shelter medicine mobile surgical unit at the University of Illinois]

Sorting the Science on Spay and Neuter Surgeries

September 11, 2017

It’s almost always best to spay and neuter pets By far the most common surgeries performed on dogs in the United States are spay and neuter procedures—collectively called gonadectomies—that remove the reproductive organs to prevent…
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