The Soft Tissue Surgery service at the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital offers internationally-recognized experts in the fields of wound healing and reconstruction, minimally-invasive surgery, and urinary surgery. While all the soft tissue surgeons are not on service at the same time, the surgeons frequently work together and collaborate on difficult cases for a combined surgical knowledge and skill set that is rare. Putting those qualities together with the expertise of other support services, such as Anesthesia and Critical Care, make the UGA VTH a national leader for advanced surgical techniques and perioperative care. Combining the surgical and medical abilities of UGA veterinarians with the cutting edge facilities and technology the hospital offers allows clinicians on the Soft Tissue Surgery service an unparalleled ability to diagnose and treat diseases in dogs and cat.
Other facts to be aware of when using the Soft Tissue Surgery Service include:- We strive to offer minimally invasive techniques when possible to reduce surgical pain and improve healing. These techniques can be used to treat or take samples from the chest or abdomen. Specifically, we commonly perform gastropexy, spay, intestinal biopsy, liver biopsies, adrenalectomy, cystoscopy, removal of retained testicles, surgery for chylothorax, lung biopsy, pneumothorax, and lung lobe resection.
- We work closely with other services, including: Internal Medicine, Oncology, Emergency and Critical Care, and Dermatology. Pets are frequently referred to Soft Tissue Surgery by these services, and we work closely with these experts after surgery.
- We work closely with Anesthesia to minimize post operative pain and improve patient comfort before, during, and after surgery. Animals are treated with multimodal pain medication, so 2 to 4 drugs are used to optimize pain management and minimize side effects.
- The Soft Tissue Surgery service, along with other services in the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital, offers cutting-edge interventional radiology techniques such as placement of stents in the ureter, urethra, and trachea.
- The UGA Soft Tissue Surgery service is staffed by board-certified veterinary surgeons who specialize in all areas of soft tissue surgery, including surgery of the thorax and abdomen, oncologic surgery, and use of minimally invasive techniques including laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, laser surgery, and stent placement.
- We also offer feline renal transplants. The UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital is one of the few veterinary teaching hospitals in the United States that offer this procedure.
