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Surgery
CARE offers a full-service surgery facility supported by a staff of highly trained specialists and experienced veterinary technicians. CARE’s board-certified surgeons are supported by highly skilled technicians and assistants. They are also part of a team of doctors comprising multiple areas of expertise who are committed to providing the best possible care for your pet. Collaborating with other experts to provide a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating patients creates the best possible outcomes.
In most cases, after an initial evaluation, your CARE surgeon will meet with you personally to recommend diagnostics and review available treatment options. Along with the most advanced surgical care, CARE offers conscientious post-operative CARE. Our highly trained staff monitors for pain 24 hours a day and uses injectable pain medications and constant-rate infusions to control post-operative pain. This ensures your pet’s comfort and reduces stress levels during and immediately following the procedure. A CARE veterinarian is always available in the building, 24 hours a day, for any unforeseen concerns. Your pet’s comfort and quick recovery are of utmost importance.
When surgery is not recommended, CARE surgeons assist in managing acute and chronic issues in conjunction with your family veterinarian.
If your pet is admitted for hospitalization at CARE, please review our Hospital Admit Guide to help answer questions about your pet’s stay.
Conditions We Treat
Our board-certified surgeons treat all kinds of conditions that require expertise in surgery including orthopedic, minimally invasive and soft tissue surgery.
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO)
- Patella luxation Stabilization (MPL/LPL)
- Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) Extracapsular Lateral Suture Stabilization
- Fracture Stabilization
- Arthroscopy
- Femoral Head and Neck Ostectomy (FHNE/FHO)
- Prosthetic Ligament Stabilization
- Angular Limb Deformity Corrective Osteotomy
- Soft Tissue Surgery
- Surgical Oncology/Mass Excision including Soft Tissue Sarcomas, Mast Cell Tumors, Anal Sac Adenocarcinoma
- Gastrointestinal Surgery including Gastrotomy, Enterotomy, Intestinal Resection and Anastomosis
- Splenectomy
- Liver Lobectomy
- Lung Lobectomy
- Laparoscopic Surgery
- Surgical Treatment of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS/BAS)
- Hernia Repair/Herniorrhaphy
- Wound Management and Reconstructive Surgery
- Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA)
- Mandibulectomy/Maxillectomy
- Portal Systemic Shunt Attenuation
- Laryngeal Arytenoid Lateralization (Laryngeal Tie-Back)
Diagnostics We Use/Services We Provide
As part of your pet’s advanced care, additional diagnostics may be utilized to aid in the treatment process. Following your pet’s examination and thorough review of the medical history, additional diagnostics that we recommend may include:
- Laboratory testing such as Complete Blood Count (CBC), blood chemistry, urinalysis
- Radiographs (X-rays)
- Abdominal and/or cardiac ultrasound
- Fine-needle aspiration for cytology
- Preoperative biopsy
- CT scan
Surgery FAQ
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How are surgery appointments scheduled?
Once your pet is referred to our surgery department, you will most likely be scheduled for a consultation appointment with one of our surgeons. At the time of the surgical consultation, your surgeon will review your pet’s history and any previous diagnostics. Then your surgeon will discuss recommendations for surgery. Surgery will often be scheduled following your consultation.
Will my pet require hospitalization with surgery?
While each patient and procedure is different, many pets can benefit from post-operative hospitalization. Pets who remain in the hospital after surgery will stay in our fully staffed, 24-hour ICU where doctors and nurses can monitor them closely, ensure they are recovering from surgery and administer post-operative medications. Your pet’s surgeon will discuss hospitalization recommendations at the time of your surgical consultation.
Why does my pet need to check in early in the morning for surgery?
We ask that your pet be checked in for surgery in the morning to allow patients to have their pre-operative exams and any pre-operative diagnostics performed. Surgeries are performed in a sequential manner, and we want to ensure that all pre-operative evaluations are performed prior to procedures scheduled for the day.
Why can’t my pet eat the morning of surgery?
For most patients, eating prior to surgery can increase the risk of vomiting with anesthesia. Unless otherwise directed, we typically ask that you not feed your pet the morning of surgery.
Is anesthesia safe for my pet?
For most pets, anesthesia can safely be administered. While there are risks with any anesthesia, our surgery team closely monitors your pet while under anesthesia. Our surgeons will develop an anesthesia protocol that is the safest for your pet. Please discuss any concerns regarding anesthesia with your surgeon at the time of your pet’s consultation.
How much will surgery cost?
The cost of surgery will vary widely depending on what procedure is recommended for your pet. Our surgery team will provide you with a treatment and surgical plan as well as the expected costs. The cost of treatment depends on many variables including the surgery performed, patient size, anesthesia and surgery duration and any necessary hospitalization or additional diagnostics.
What will my pet’s recovery involve?
Recovery is different for each patient and each procedure. At the time of your surgical consultation, your pet’s doctor will discuss recovery and prognosis expectations. Most orthopedic procedures will require at least 6 to 8 weeks of healing and recovery.
Will my pet have a bandage after surgery?
Depending on what procedure is performed, your pet may have a bandage placed following surgery. If your pet has a bandage, follow-up for bandage changes may be performed here with CARE or with your regular veterinarian.
When should I be concerned about my pet’s surgical incision?
After surgery, please monitor your pet’s incision at least daily. Monitor for any excessive redness, swelling, pain, gapping or opening of the incision or draining from the incision. If you notice any of these signs, please contact our surgery team.
My surgeon is board certified. What does that mean?
Board certification is a rigorous credentialing system veterinary surgeons go through to enhance their education and experience and to bring you the most current knowledge and skills. For more detailed information, you can visit the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) website, which provides an overview of board certification in veterinary specialties.
Vet Tech Profiles
Rachel Gallegos, RVT
Surgical Service Lead and Department Coordinator for Surgery
Job responsibilities
As a surgical tech, her responsibilities take a patient through surgery from start to finish. The extensive list includes communication with families, scheduling, testing, administering anesthesia and meds, assisting with surgeries, and being on-call for surgeries. As the surgery department coordinator, her responsibilities include arranging technicians’ schedules and job duties monthly, maintaining inventory for surgical equipment and implants (ie, bone plates, screws, etc.), facilitating department meetings, and more.
Vet Tech education
Graduated from Gaston College in ’08; earned Bachelor’s degree in English (’12) at UNCC, all while working in Veterinary medicine.
Hometown
Born in Indiana, her family moved to Charlotte when she was 5.
Superpowers she wishes she had
“Genuinely being able to communicate with animals. Also, X-ray hands would make it less stressful for dogs and cats. The superpower of X-ray hands started as a joke with my department. It was a silly joke at first, but then more and more frequently, I was faced with how convenient it would be. Stand in line for an x-ray? Nope, I got my X-ray hands. Need to check on a pin placement mid-surgery? Let me just lay my hand on it real quick. Need X-rays on a scared squirmy puppy? Let me just take some X-rays disguised as some pets and belly rubs.”
Favorite movies/books about animals/pets
The documentary “The Great Alone” about four-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey, and the book “This Much Country” by Kristin Knight Pace. Both are about Alaska, sled dogs, and the Iditarod. These works changed Rachel’s life and deepened her love of Alaska and working dogs. She has been to Alaska to do pre-race ECGs and bloodwork on sled dogs running in the Iditarod. “In a past life, I think I lived in Alaska,” Rachel says.
Originally posted as part of CARE’s celebration of National Veterinary Technician Week (Oct. 16-22, 2022).
Videos
When your pet needs surgery, every moment before and after the procedure matters. That’s why our advanced medical center for pets is open 24/7, providing continuous surgical care, monitoring, and pain management—day and night. From emergency procedures to complex planned surgeries, your pet is supported by a skilled surgical and critical care team at all times, ensuring swift response to changes, safer recoveries, and the reassurance that expert help is always available when it matters most.
CARE at Night
Recent Surgery Blog Posts
If you’ve never had a pet, “luxation” may sound like a spa treatment you’d like to investigate. But dog and cat owners know that patellar luxation in pets – commonly referred to as a “floating kneecap” – can be a painful condition that creates crippling discomfort and...
The cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) tear is the most common orthopedic injury in dogs. This ligament is synonymous with the “ACL” in humans. In humans, the front of the body is called “anterior;” in dogs, the front is called “cranial.” In both species, the ligament...
As your dog gets older, you might easily write off a lack of movement or energy to the slowing down that affects us all. Yet it’s often due to arthritis. Vets estimate that four dogs in five will show some signs of arthritis after the age of 8, and a quarter of the...
To paraphrase Spider-Man, with great popularity comes great responsibility. Now that French bulldogs are the most popular canines in the United States, owners need to understand their special health issues. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) can be an...
When your veterinarian recommends anesthesia and surgery for your cat or dog, you’re more likely to be more nervous about the procedure than your pet. This guide to the process will answer general questions about the what to expect, and vets at CARE can answer more...
Hearing that your dog or cat needs a limb amputated seems frightening at first. How can pets cope with spending the rest of their days on three legs? Yet animals adjust surprisingly quickly to what veterinarians call “the tripod life” after limb amputations. You can...
Stories
CARE Charlotte is celebrating its 7th anniversary by sharing seven stories of thriving patients. Today’s story is the final and biggest one. Fig, Half Sack, and Tucker are 2-year-old siblings who shared the same problem: an angular limb deformity. Drs. Laura Dvorak, Elizabeth Thompson, and Amber Gunstra performed the surgical corrections separately.
First, dear reader, let’s tackle burning questions you may have:
- An angular limb deformity (ALD) is a condition in which a limb is not straight (excludes fractures). Left untreated the abnormal positing causes joint pain and limping. ALD is most commonly diagnosed in dogs and relatively uncommon in cats.
- None of the owners knew each other before coming to CARE. They are members of a rescue group on Facebook and connected there first. They’re friends now, thanks to the doggos and the good doctors at CARE.
- Entirely by chance, each dog ended up with a different surgeon.
Fig was the first to show up at CARE. She would limp after playing even just a little bit. Dr. Gunstra found the angular limb deformity through an exam and extensive testing. The delicate surgery was scheduled and successful!
Owner Christi Medrano shared an update about Fig in the Facebook group. Her posts caught the attention of Michele Bell, Half Sack’s mom, and Jessica Davy, Tucker’s owner.
Half Sack’s injury was only in one limb, the same as Fig’s. Dr. Thompson performed the second surgery. Another success! While the other pet owners who lived near CARE, Half Sack’s family lived 90 minutes away. The distance and a longer-than-expected recovery challenged the family. Still, Michele says it was worth every minute of the many drives, and they would 100% use CARE again. “Everyone from the front desk to the doctor is caring and loving,” she says. “They make you feel so welcome. Even the folks who walk the dogs outside would say hi to Half Sack as we waited in the parking lot.”
Unlike the other two, Tucker had to have both of his forelimbs corrected. Tucker’s surgery was more complicated but a total success!
All three dogs are doing dandy these days and sometimes have playdates with each other.
- Fig is a major snuggle bug and loves to romp with her siblings.
- Half Sack is amazing and runs like the wind.
- Tucker is full of personality, super-playful, and loves baseball.