If your pet requires more advanced soft tissue surgery, we utilize Bedrock Veterinary Specialists and their Mobile Surgery team. Dr. Matt Ritter, a board-certified surgeon, and his surgical team would perform your pet’s surgery here at Hope Animal Hospital. This allows us to keep our patients at our hospital for post-operative care. In the case where surgery is critical and needed to be done immediately, we refer your pet to their hospital in Cornelius, NC, or to another specialized hospital in our area (i.e. Carolina Veterinary Specialists of Charlotte, CARE of Charlotte, or Carolina Animal Specialty & Upstate Veterinary Specialists.)
Leg fractures are the most common orthopedic problem and usually result from a mishap with an automobile. They can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the location and type of fracture. A cast can be applied to treat certain fractures; however, many fractures will require surgical intervention:
- “Pinning” stabilizes the fracture by inserting a long stainless steel rod into the middle of the bone across the fractured area.
- “Plating” involves attaching a flat stainless steel plate to the bone using screws on either side of the fracture.
- “External fixation” stabilizes fractures using a series of pins on the outside of the leg that pass through the skin and into the bone on either side of the fracture.