Pet's sometimes have a combination of symptoms each pointing to a different diagnoses, each of which would, require a different treatment.

It's important to bring your pet into AVVC to have your veterinarian examine all the symptoms so your pet can receieve proper treatment.

Blood tests may suggest one problem, whereas x-rays and ultrasound may suggest others. Amador Valley Veterinary Center has a number of specialists who handle diagnostically complex and challenging cases.

• Orthopedic Surgery

• Soft Tissue Surgery

• Pain Management & Anesthesia
  
  

Whether your pet requires a routine procedure like a spay or neuter surgery, or needs a more complicated orthopedic, soft-tissue or emergency surgery, at AVVC, we are well equipped to handle your pet's surgery needs. We are proud to provide comprehensive pre-and post-operative care and intensive pain management.

Prior to undergoing any surgery at Amador Valley Veterinary Center, every patient recieves a thorough physical exam. This helps identify any pre-existing medical conditions that might alter the surgical plan or affect our choice of anesthetic.

We also perform pre-anesthetic blood testing on each pet allowing us to gauge your pet's overall health.

During every AVVC surgery, all vital signs are tracked using several different anesthetic monitors. All surgical patients, including those undergoing routine procedures, receive pain control medications.
​​​​​​​

Orthopedic Surgery

Pets suffering from bone fractures and other trauma may require orthopedic surgery. Just as human patients have specially trained surgeons to help repair and set broken bones, so do pets. In many cases our veterinarians are able to perform these surgeries without the help of a specialist.

However, in extremely complicated or especially severe cases a board-certified veterinary surgeon will come to our hospital to perform these surgeries when needed.

Orthopedic surgery can be complex and entail a significant amount of rehabilitation both in-hospital and at home. Our doctors are dedicated to working with you to help you choose the best option for your pet.

AVVC staff is available whenever you need us to help with post-operative care, concerns or questions.

Common orthopedic problems that we handle include the following:
Knee Ligament Injuries:
A common cause of rear-limb lameness in pets is the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. This is the same “ACL” that many people injure in their own knees.

Hip Surgery (FHO)
An FHO surgical procedure is when the ball portion of the hip and the attachment portion of the femur is removed – essentially removing the hip joint.

Fracture Repairs
The most common causes of bone fractures in pets is being hit by a car, or jumping/falling from extreme heights. Any cat who develops a sudden, severe limp should be examined and can be x-rayed.

Fractures in pets can range from simple hairline cracks to complex fractures where the bone is shattered into many pieces. As a result, repairing a broken bone can vary from simply splinting the bone to hold it in place, to more complicated procedures like pinning, wiring and using plates and rods to secure the bones together.

Our doctors are experienced in performing many types of fracture repairs, and when needed, board-certified veterinary surgeons are called into our practice for to perform difficult procedures.

Soft Tissue Surgery

Soft tissue surgery involves surgery on parts of the body excluding the bones (orthopedic surgery). Common soft tissue surgeries include removing foreign objects causing intestinal obstructions, removal of diseased sections of the intestine, bladder surgery to remove stones or polyps, or surgery to remove masses from the liver, kidney or spleen.

AVVC doctors are highly skilled and trained to perform these and other types of soft-tissue surgeries including:

• Exploratory abdominal surgery

• Stomach and intestinal surgery to remove foreign objects or tumors

• Surgeries of the liver, kidneys, and spleen

• Removal of various tumors

• Removal of bladder stones

• Eye/Ear/Nose/Throat surgery

• Spay and Neuter

• Pain Management & Anesthesia

• Anesthesia
  
  

Pain Management & Anesthsia

Fortunately, anesthetics available for use in veterinary medicine today are very safe. Only the highest quality anesthetics available are used on patients at Amador Valley Veterinary Center. In fact, we use the same anesthetic drugs in our pets that human anesthesiologists use on people.

Prior to any surgery or other procedure requiring anesthesia, all patients are given a thorough pre-anesthetic physical exam the day of anesthesia. If required, they also receive on site pre-anesthetic blood tests.

While under anesthesia your pet's vitals are tracked on several monitors. Our staff closely watches every patient's:

• Vital signs

• Blood

• Oxygen

• Carbon dioxide

• EKG to monitor the electrical activity of the heart

• Blood pressure
  
  

AVVC patients are kept warm during anesthesia with warm-water heating pads under them and warm air blankets over them. Making sure your pet stays warm expedites anesthetic recovery and helps keep patients comfortable.

After every surgical procedure, a recovery nurse is assigned to monitor your pet and assist them as they wake up from anesthesia.

Our technicians will make sure your pet feels comfortable, secure and safe as they transition through their recovery period.

Anesthesia and Your Pet

Pain Management
Whether your pet has been injured, is recovering from surgery, or is in pain from other medical conditions or just “old age”, our top priority is the well being of your pet.

At Amador Valley Veterinary Center we utilized the most current information/education on pain control to relieve your pet of pain.

New pain management and anti-inflammatory medications work in the brain and spinal cord without causing drowsiness. Local anesthetic techniques are used to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible.

​​​​​​​A variety of medications can be added to a pateint's IV fluids to maintain a continual flow of pain medications. Sometimes we opt to use transdermal skin patches which slowely release pain medication for 3 to 5 days. These patches allows many pets to recover at home without the need for IV pain medications in the hospital.