General Surgery

Anything but ordinary.

General Surgery

Anything but ordinary.

General Information

Since our inception, Avon Lake Animal Clinic has been achieving surgical excellence. Our founder, Dr. John Simpson, was a surgical instructor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine prior to opening our hospital. Today, we continue to be committed to the same surgical standards established by our founder. Our facility is equipped to perform an array of surgical procedures. From a routine spay or neuter to a more advanced orthopedic procedure, our veterinarians are qualified to guide you through the surgical experience.
Routine procedures:
  • Spay (ovariohysterectomy)
  • Neuter/castration
  • Declawing for cats (laser required)
  • Dewclaw removal for dogs
Abdominal surgery:
  • Diaphragmatic hernia correction
  • Foreign body removal
  • Gall bladder surgery/removal (cholecystotomy/cholecystectomy)
  • Gastric dilitation volvulus correction (GDV or bloat)
  • Intestinal surgery
  • Kidney removal (nephrectomy)
  • Liver lobectomy
  • Splenectomy
  • Tumor removal
  • Urinary bladder stone removal (cystotomy)
Thoracic surgery:
  • Heart surgery
  • Lung lobe removal
  • Tumor removal
Oronasal surgery:
  • Dental surgery
  • Soft palate resection and stenotic nares correction
  • Tumor removal
Ocular surgery:
  • Cherry eye correction (prolapsed nictitans)
  • Distichiasis removal
  • Entropion/ectropion
  • Eye removal (enucleation)
Ear surgery:
  • Tumor removal
  • Ear canal lateralization
Skin surgery:
  • Abscess debridement
  • Cosmetic correction/revision
  • Tumor removal
Orthopedic surgery:
  • Amputation
  • Cranial (anterior) cruciate ligament rupture correction
  • Fracture repair


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Before Your Pet’s Surgery

Prior to any anesthetic/surgical procedure, your pet will receive a comprehensive physical exam and we will complete any necessary pre-anesthetic laboratory screenings. We want to identify any underlying medical conditions that might negatively affect the surgical experience. Your veterinarian will determine an appropriate anesthetic protocol and registered veterinary technicians are assigned to monitor your pet from anesthetic induction until fully recovered. Post operatively, we provide overnight monitoring to assure that your pet is comfortable, pain free, and observed for any complications.

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Surgical Monitoring

Avon Lake Animal Clinic employs the safest and most current anesthetic protocols. While anesthetized, all of our patients are monitored by registered veterinary technicians. The technician assigned to your pet will chart vital signs throughout the entire anesthetic experience. Vital signs that are monitored include: heart rate and rhythm (EKG), respiratory rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation of blood (pulse oximetry). By closely monitoring your pet while anesthetized, we are able to identify any changes in the cardiovascular system and adjust anesthesia and fluid therapy accordingly. This will lead to a safer anesthetic experience and promote a better overall recovery. For the critically ill patient, we have an intensive care unit for monitoring our patients more closely post-operatively.

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Pain Management

Pain management is an integral part to any surgical procedure. Avon Lake Animal Clinic advocates a combination of approaches to alleviating pain. This may include intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, topical and/or oral medications. Our pain management protocols are designed to preemptively address surgical pain and to assure post operatively that pets are comfortable during the recovery process. We use a pain scoring system to identify the painful pet and adjust accordingly. Sometimes our patients just need a little extra attention and companionship to help them through the surgical process. If pain is well controlled, recovery is smoother, healing is expedited, and your pet is much happier. We are available to answer any questions you might have about pain management. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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