Animals are exposed to germs and different types of pathogens that cause diseases. While your veterinarian may offer medication for some diseases, in some cases, a surgical procedure may be necessary to stop infections and restore the animal's health. Here are some of the common vet surgery procedures you can expect a veterinarian to perform on your pet.

Dental Surgeries

Dental surgery is mainly used to fight tooth decay. Dental decay can pose serious health issues to animals, so infected teeth should be extracted before they spread to the healthy teeth and tissue. Tooth extraction is a common veterinary procedure, and it is done after the pet is anaesthetised. To make sure your pet doesn't need a tooth extraction, you should brush its teeth and use teeth cleaning treatments. Dental surgery may also be used for tooth fillings, palate defects, jaw fracture management and oral tumour removal.

Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are one of the major causes of vision loss in animals. An animal with cataracts has foggy lenses. Many older animals develop cataracts caused by trauma, infection or diabetes. When a veterinarian performs a surgical procedure, they replace the foggy lens of the eye with an artificial lens.

Foreign Body Removal

Animals often swallow non-edible objects. In cattle, this condition is called hardware disease. These objects can create blockages in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to electrolyte imbalances. During an endoscopy to remove foreign bodies, the stomach is surgically opened to get rid of the foreign bodies. Endoscopic surgeries are limited to objects trapped in the stomach and esophagus.

Orthopedic Surgeries

Your pet may suffer from injuries that result in bone, spinal and joint injuries. The veterinarian will have to perform surgery to restore the health of the animal. Broken bones need to be reset or metal plates inserted so the bones may regain strength and the worn-out ligaments may be repaired. Orthopedic surgeries also deal with health issues such as sprains, strains, osteoarthritis, dislocated knee caps and joint fractures in the knee, elbow and shoulder. In any of these cases, you need to get your animal to the clinic to minimise pain, infection and blood loss and prevent further damage.

Neutering

This is a common type of surgery performed as a preventative measure. Desexing involves castration or spaying. It may be done to prevent breeding and unwanted behaviours, such as aggressiveness and anxiety. It also prevents reproductive disorders like testicular cancer and pyometra. Neutering also increases the pet's life expectancy.

Summing It Up

It is a very painful experience to watch your animal go through surgery. However, most operations are meant to cure your pet or reduce inflammation and pain. To learn more about pet surgery, speak to a veterinarian.