If your pet is suffering from a musculoskeletal injury or degenerative disease, you may be feeling much of the same anguish as your beloved companion. The good news is that orthopedic surgery can often produce dramatic improvement to help injuries heal properly and relieve the symptoms caused by painful conditions such as hip dysplasia. Here at Finn Hill Animal Hospital, we offer a variety or orthopedic procedures for pets.

A dog or cat's musculoskeletal anatomy may differ from yours in many respects, but it can be prone to many of the same ailments. Fractured bones, for instance, frequently occur as the result of an impact with an automobile or a traumatic fall -- and in many cases, the bones must be set surgically.

Osteoarthritis tends to appear with age, and this form of joint degeneration can cause chronic pain, stiffness and loss of mobility as the joints rub together without proper cushioning. If your pet is crippled by hip dysplasia, and pain relievers are no longer helpful, we can replace the degenerated femoral head/neck or even perform a total hip replacement surgery if need be. We may also recommend surgery on other arthritic or damaged joints, with options ranging from loose cartilage removal to joint fusion or artificial joint implantation.

Some musculoskeletal conditions are associated with particular types or sizes of animals. Hip dysplasia, for instance, is a progressive failure of the femoral joint that afflicts some breeds of dog (such as German Shepherds and other large breeds) more than others. The anatomy of a dog's leg and foot can also make some animals more vulnerable to a ruptured ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament (the ligament that controls normal range of motion in the knee joint).

Emergency treatment for acute injuries may include the insertion of metal hardware to pin broken bones together. A torn ACL should be treated immediately as well. We may recommend a TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) or a TTA (tibial tuberosity advancement). Both of these operations alter the structure of the knee joint slightly so that it can function well without the extra support of a working ACL. Some pets may do well with an alternative approach in which we use sutures to fashion an artificial replacement for the ACL.

Once the surgery is complete, we will advise you on proper home care and devise a rehabilitation program to help your pet heal as fully and safely as possible.