Veterinary Surgery

Surgical Procedures

At Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital, we perform surgeries to help treat disease and conditions in pets or to repair injuries sustained through trama.

Our Santa Cruz County vets routinely perform the following elective and non-elective surgeries:

• Soft Tissue Surgery

  For pets suffering from ear, nose, and throat disorders, we offer soft tissue surgical procedures.

  These procedures are also available for hepatic, urogenital, oncological, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders. 

• Spaying & Neutering

  When spaying or neutering a dog or cat, we surgically sterilize them in order to provide them with an extended life expectancy and prevent a wide variety of diseases. 

• C-Sections

  During Caesarean sections, we surgically remove puppies or kittens from their mother's uterus.

  C-sections are typically performed when the mother is unable to give birth naturally.  

• Mass Removal

  Cats and dogs will often develop masses associated with their skin, especially as they age. Masses can also grow inside your companion's body cavity and potentially become quite serious or life-threatening.

  Mass removal surgery is a fairly common procedure for both cats and dogs.

• Foreign Body

  Sometimes, foreign objects are ingested or can get stuck inside a cat's or dog's body.

  Whether your pet has eaten an object they shouldn't have or if an accident thas left them inuured, our vets are able to perform foreign body surgery to remove the object.

  In some cases, specialized skills or equipment are needed to perform pet surgery. If that is the case for your animal, your vet will refer you to a cat or dog surgeon near Santa Cruz County and work closely with your veterinary surgeon to ensure that your dog or cat receives the very best care.

• Wounds

  Wounds occur when living tissue has been cut, broken, burnt, torn, or otherwise damaged.

  It's imperative that these wounds be cleaned, disinfected, and appropriately cared for by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible. 

• Dental Surgery

  Our veterinarians provide dental surgeries for dogs and cats. These surgeries can range from tooth extractions to gum disease treatment and jaw fracture repairs.

The Vet Surgery Process

We know that the prospect of bringing your pet in for surgery can be a frightening one. Because of this, we want to assure you that we only recommend surgery for your pet when it is in their best interests.

We will make sure you fully understand why we are recommending surgery for your pet and that you are comfortable in making the decision to move ahead with it.

If your pet requires advanced care, our vets will refer you to a veterinary surgeon near Santa Cruz County, and work closely with your vet surgeon to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care. 

Surgical protocols at our clinic include:

Pre-surgical assessments. We will confirm the specifics of the procedure we will be performing and review the results of blood tests to make sure your pet doesn't face any risk of anesthesia-ralted complications.

Dedicated surgical suites. Surgeries are performed in a dedicated surgical suite. This room is kept completely sterile to prevent infection and cross-contamination.

Surgical attire. Our staff wear disposable caps and masks at all times when they are in the surgical suite. Those involved in the procedure itself will also wear sterile gowns and single-use gloves.

Sterile packs and equipment. We carefully clean, sterilize and wrap our surgical instruments and equipment prior to every surgery.