Soft Tissue Surgery

What is soft tissue surgery? Soft tissue surgery is considered any surgery that is performed that is not orthopedic. This can range anywhere from splenectomy (spleen removal) to a mass or foreign body removal and even a c-section.

Many soft tissue surgeries are performed by Dr. Roger Johnson, Dr. Peter Nurre, Dr. Jill Christofferson, or Dr. Blythe Jurewicz at Encina Veterinary Hospital in Walnut Creek, California (Contra Costa County). On occasion, the longer procedures are performed by our board certified surgeon, Dr. Carl Koehler.

Some of the soft tissue surgeries we offer are ….
           * Abdominal exploratories (for cancer, infection, biopsy, liver disease, urinary disease, digestive tract disease,
              and more)
           * Laryngeal paralysis, brachycephalic syndrome and Pericardectomies
           * Emergency surgery and traumas
           * Hernia repairs
           * Thoracic procedures
           * Advanced wound treatment and reconstructive surgery
           * Gastric Torsion & Prophylactic gastropexy
           * Mass removal, foreign body removal
           * C-section
           * Cystotomy
           * Organ mass/tumor (spleen, liver) removal
           * Liver lobectomy
           * Thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy
           * Adrenalectomy
                               …And MORE!

Because these procedures are quite invasive, your pets’ pain management protocol will be customized to his or her specific needs depended on history, healthy and surgical procedure. As always, we work with you to decide the best possible care for your pet.

Here are some ways we manage your pets’ pain after surgery:
Epidurals: A catheter is placed in the spine region that releases pain and anesthetic medication to block the transmission of signals through nerves in or near the spinal cord.
Nerve Blocks: An injection is administered to block the nerves from accessing the point of pain; it numbs the nerves and does not let the pain receptors communicate pain to the brain.
Inject-able and Oral Analgesics: Injections and oral medications are used to treat pain while in the hospital, and also once the pet goes home; sometimes a combination of the two are used to ensure your pet is comfortable.
Constant Intravenous Infusions: Your pet may receive constant pain medications through his or her indwelling intravenous catheter; this ensures they have a constant stream of pain medication in their blood stream to keep them comfortable.

After surgery is performed, your pet may stay here at our hospital overnight where trained technicians will monitor and administer pain medication, care and support around the clock. We encourage all pet owners to come visit their pet during this time to encourage healing and happiness for all.