As pets age, their bones, tendons, and ligaments start to experience wear and tear. Conditions like fractures and arthritis may start to restrict your pet’s movements and cause immense pain and distress. Timely orthopedic care can give your pet the pain-free life they deserve. Choose the vets at our Affordable Animal Hospital in Santa Ana, California, for orthopedic surgery. Our surgeons will create a customized surgical plan and help your pet get back on his feet in no time.
Orthopedic Surgery - Santa Ana
Why May Your Pet
Develop Orthopedic Conditions?
Old age aside, there are many reasons why your furry baby may develop orthopedic conditions. For one, the lifestyle you follow may make your pet susceptible to orthopedic injuries. Both excessive physical activity and no physical activity can be terrible for your cat or dog. If you’ve introduced your pup or kitten to rough roads or extreme physical stress, their bones may not develop correctly, making them more vulnerable to future orthopedic conditions.
Additionally, some breeds are genetically prone to orthopedic diseases. Other medical conditions like cancer and viral infections can make your pet very vulnerable to fractures, sprains, and muscle loss. In some instances, any physical trauma or accident can damage your pet’s bones and muscles, causing severe orthopedic injuries.
It’s immensely important that you bring your pet to the vet to get him checked for the onset of orthopedic medical conditions. At Affordable Animal Hospital Santa Ana, our vets can diagnose your pet and provide the right treatment.
Signs That Your Pet Requires Immediate Orthopedic Treatment
As a pet parent, you may not be aware that your pet has a fracture or limb infection, but these conditions do leave behind certain signs that you can look out for.
Bring your pet to us at Affordable Animal Hospital Santa Ana if you notice the following symptoms:
- Creaking sound in the joints when getting up or sitting down
- Sudden agitation and aggression
- Aversion to certain physical activities
- Lameness in the limbs
- Misshapen limbs and bloating
- Stiffness & difficulty to move
- Sudden weight gain or weight loss
- Loss of interest in interacting with you
- Limited mobility
- Abnormal stance and gait
- Whining/growling in dogs and hissing in cats, every time they move
Common Orthopedic Conditions in Dogs & Cats
- Sprains, Dislocations & Fractures
Sprains, dislocations, and fractures in the wrists, knees, shoulders, elbows, and ankles can occur due to excessive physical strain or injury.
- Hip Dysplasia
This is a genetic condition where the hips of some cat and dog breeds grow to an abnormal shape or size.
- Elbow Dysplasia
Similar to hip dysplasia, in elbow dysplasia, the elbow joints develop abnormally as your pet grows.
- Cruciate Ligament Rupture
The cranial cruciate ligament connects the bones in the knee joints. If the ligament ruptures, the knee becomes unstable, and it is very difficult for your pet to move.
- Luxating Patella
The patella refers to the kneecap, and in this condition, the kneecap slips out-of-place, preventing your pet from bending or folding his knee.
- Tendon Contracture
This is a condition where the tendons contract in size and the limbs will temporarily lose the ability to stretch and extend.
- Degenerative Joint Disease
Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is a debilitating condition that worsens over time until your pet is unable to move.
Trust Our Santa Ana Specialists for
Preventive Orthopedic Surgeries
The below conditions can be easily treated if your pet undergoes surgery immediately upon diagnosis. Some of the orthopedic surgical procedures we offer include:
Fracture repairs
Our staff set any fractures or dislocations that your pet suffers from, and surgically repairs broken bones.
Limb deformity correction
If your pet has a limb deformity, our vets can surgically treat the deformity and return the limb to the right shape and function.
Medial patellar luxation repair
If your pet’s kneecap has moved out-of-place, surgery can help bring it back to the right place and prevent further movement.
Cruciate ligament repair
Our vets will graft a healthy ligament in the place of the ruptured ligament and restore movement in your pet’s knees.
Ligament and tendon reconstruction
If any ligament or tendon in your pet’s body is torn, it is repaired or re-grafted surgically.
Femoral head osteotomy
This is a surgical procedure to remove parts of the damaged or diseased hip joints, to return mobility to your pet.
Elbow, hip and knee replacement
If your pet’s elbow, hip, or knee have worn out or are damaged due to trauma, replacement surgery can help your pet regain their quality of life.
Amputations
Limb amputations are performed only in extreme cases when no other surgical procedure yields results.
Affordable Animal Hospital
1901 N. Broadway
Santa Ana, Ca 92706
Tel:
(714) 942-2986
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tue-Fri: 9am to 6pm
Sat-Sun: 9am to 2pm
