As human medicine has become more specialized, so has veterinary medicine. There are now numerous specialties in the veterinary field including surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, oncology, dermatology, radiology, ophthalmology and others.
A board certified veterinary surgeon must complete not only the undergraduate requirements and 4 years of veterinary school, but also additional training consisting of:
- Minimum of a 1-year internship
- 3-year residency program that meets the guidelines established by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS)
- Specific training and caseload requirements
- Research project with subsequent publication in a scientific journal
- Take and pass a rigorous examination
Only veterinarians who have successfully completed the above-mentioned training and requirements of the ACVS are Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and have earned the right to be called specialists in veterinary surgery.
For more information, please visit www.acvs.org
Surgery is scheduled by your primary care veterinarian after a thorough evaluation is performed to determine if surgery is recommended/needed and to ensure your pet is a good candidate for anesthesia. Please contact Roam ATX Veterinary Surgery if you would like a list of partner clinics we are currently serving.
Dr. Adamovich can perform a wide range of both orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries in the comfort of your local veterinary clinic. Please see the procedure list on our website; if the particular procedure your pet needs is not listed please have your veterinarian contact Dr. Adamovich to discuss your pet’s surgical needs. In some instances, depending on the nature of the procedure or your pet’s individual medical needs, it may be recommended that the procedure be performed at a 24 hour hospital for more thorough postoperative monitoring and care.
An estimate for surgery is provided by your primary care veterinarian (where the surgical procedure is taking place). These estimates include costs for anesthesia and monitoring, the surgical procedure, surgical equipment, implants, and medications to go home. Estimates may vary slightly between clinics as they are dependent on the individual clinic’s cost of equipment/supplies.
Following orthopedic surgery (surgery on bones and joints), most pets will require STRICT activity restriction for 8-12 weeks. Please ensure your pet has a confined, clean, indoor space to recuperate. This can include either a crate, pen, or small room without furniture your pet can jump on/off (ex: laundry room, bathroom). Your pet should be kept in their confined recovery space with the exception of short leash walks to go to the bathroom and rehabilitation activities specific to your pet’s surgery which will be outlined in your discharge instructions. Whenever outside of the confined space your pet should be on a short (<6ft) leash – this includes even time in a fenced back yard or in the house in order to prevent running and jumping! ABSOLUTELY NO running, jumping on/off furniture, rough play, twisting, or outdoor off leash activity is permitted during the 8-12 week activity restriction period.
Following most soft tissue surgeries (abdominal surgery, mass removals, etc), moderate activity restriction is required for 2-3 weeks. Your pet will likely be able to wander throughout your house when supervised but must be leashed any time outside. When unsupervised your pet should be restricted to a confined space indoors (crate, pen or single room). Walks outside should be limited to 5-10 minutes to use the bathroom. No long walks are permitted. Additionally, NO running, jumping on/off furniture, rough play or outdoor off leash activity is permitted during this time.
Following surgery your pet MUST wear an e-collar until the skin incision has healed (typically 2 weeks) in order to prevent your pet from licking or chewing at the incision site. Licking and chewing can result in the incision becoming infected or opening. This can necessitate additional treatment, medications, and in some instances even additional surgery! The e-collar can be removed for meals provided your pet is closely supervised but should be replaced immediately following meals. The e-collar should extend beyond your pets nose to work effectively and should not be modified or shortened. Soft e-collars and inflatable donut style collars are not as effective as traditional rigid plastic e-collars and many pets can still reach around them to lick or chew at the incision; these forms of collars should only be used if approved by Dr. Adamovich and while directly supervised. Remember – making sure your pet wears the e-collar appropriately is the SINGLE most important thing you can do to prevent infection at the surgery site!
For most surgical procedures a long acting local anesthetic medication (Nocita) is infused into the surgical site. This medication provides local pain control by numbing the region for 72 hours. During anesthesia and while in the vet clinic your pet will also receive injectable opioid pain medications. Lastly, your pet will be discharged with oral pain medications to provide additional pain control once at home. These typically consist of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication to help with inflammation (swelling) and pain and an additional pain killer.
All routine rechecks and follow up will be performed with your primary care veterinarian. Dr. Adamovich is always available to your veterinarian via email and phone to review x-rays and answer any questions that may arise during the recovery process!
For soft tissue surgeries, a recheck 2 weeks following surgery is needed to ensure the incision is fully healed prior to removing the e-collar and resuming normal activity. If present, external sutures are typically removed at this appointment. This is typically the only recheck for most soft tissue surgeries. Any biopsy or culture results will be communicated with you by your primary care veterinarian and any additional treatment recommendations will be discussed.
For orthopedic surgeries, a recheck 2 weeks following surgery is also needed to ensure the incision is fully healed and remove sutures prior to removing the e-collar. At least one recheck x-ray appointment is needed 6-8 weeks following surgery. Your pet may require sedation for recheck x-rays. In some cases, additional x-ray recheck appointments are necessary depending on the nature of the procedure/injury and your pet’s individual healing.
Monitoring of your pet during surgery is performed by a veterinary technician or assistant at your animal hospital. Monitoring consists of evaluating oxygenation levels, heart rate and rhythm, respiratory rate and character, as well as blood pressure. Your pet will also be under the care of your veterinarian and support staff while recovering from anesthesia. Roam ATX has partnerships with multiple animal hospitals who we feel provide exemplary service, especially in anesthesia and surgery. We value the relationships we have with these facilities, and our staff works hand-in-hand with your animal hospital’s staff to provide the best care possible for your pet.
A mobile surgeon provides high quality, surgical veterinary care in the comfort of your pet’s very own primary care facility. A mobile surgeon provides state-of-the-art surgical intervention in a familiar environment to both owners and pets. This not only eliminates the stress and hassle of traveling to an unfamiliar referral hospital, but also makes specialty care more accessible and affordable to the client.