At Animal Hospital of North Asheville, we offer soft tissue surgical options for Asheville's cats and dogs 6 days a week, including Saturdays.
Soft Tissue Surgery
Soft Tissue Surgery is a general term that includes most non-orthopedic surgeries.
This includes conditions of the ear, nose and throat, as well as a number of surgeries such as oncological, gastrointestinal, cardiothoracic, skin reconstructive, hepatic and urogenital.
Surgery can be a very stressful time for both you and your pet. We are committed to delivering an experience that is both compassionate and reassuring.
Common Procedures in Soft Tissue Surgery
The following surgeries are the most common soft tissue procedures we perform at our animal hospital.
Spay & Neuter
This refers to the removing either the ovaries or testicles to render your dog or cat infertile. In addition to helping prevent overpopulation, this surgery can help your pet avoid various diseases and cancers later in life. Learn More
C-Section
Cesarean delivery (C-section) is a surgical removal of puppies or kittens through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. We typically perform c-sections in emergency situations where the mother is unable to give birth naturally.
Skin Growths or Tumors
Tumors or growths on your pet's skin can be either benign or malignant (cancerous). Surgical procedures will depend on the type of tumor, its location and size, and your pet's overall physical health and condition. Learn More
Prophylactic Gastropexy
To prevent a life threatening emergency called dilatation and volvulus or bloat. Bloat is when a dog's stomach is stretched many times its normal size causing abdominal pain. This can be caused by gas and/or food. For reasons unknown the stomach can twist or "flip" cutting off its own blood supply.
To prevent this the edge of the stomach is permanently attached to the wall of the abdomen, so it can’t flip. Many times this surgery is performed in young pets while they are spayed or neutered, often at 6 months of age. Learn More
Laparoscopic Surgery
A less invasive surgical technique, laparoscopic surgery sees a tiny camera inserted through a small incision to magnify the veterinarian's internal view of the abdomen. This is used for many procedures and decreases your pet's pain and recovery time. Learn More
Intestinal Obstruction
When your cat or dog has gastrointestinal blockage, surgery may be required to open his or her abdomen or intestines to remove the obstruction. Blockages frequently occur when pets eat things they shouldn't, like bones, rocks and toys.
Bladder Stones
If your pet is drinking more water than normal, asking to go outside more often or having accidents in the house, they may be suffering from bladder stones. Surgery is a step to resolve the issue, but further preventive care will be necessary.
Cystotomy
A cystotomy is a surgical opening created in the wall of the urinary bladder. Cystotomy is a common treatment for bladder problems including removal of bladder stones, bladder tumors, blood clots, or to repair severe trauma to the bladder. This procedure also can be done to obtain a biopsy sample.
Skin Lacerations
An often jagged and irregular-shaped wound, a laceration is created when the body tissue is torn. Your pet will need surgical repair for any recent lacerations if they are large enough to require sutures to close the wound.