Leg

There are many situations which might require a dog or cat to have a leg amputated, such as cancer, deformities, and certain types of injuries. When an animal’s welfare and/or life is at stake, The Sam Simon Foundation may be able to perform an amputation. The sudden loss of a beloved pet’s limb can be very tragic for its human parents to see. We worry that the quality of our pet’s life may never be the same, and that they’re going to be in pain. The truth is that amputations are often far more traumatic for us to deal with than for our pets to deal with. Depending on the situation, your pet can recover rather quickly from a leg amputation, and continue to live a full and happy life.

Tail

The Sam Simon Foundation performs tail amputations when necessary. Cancer, deformities, or certain injures might require this.

Ear (Aural) Hematomas

Ear hematomas are very common, particularly in dogs and cats who have a history of ear infections. A hematoma can occur as a result of the animal shaking it’s head violently, from a fight, or even from rough play. The hematoma develops when trauma to the ear flap causes a blood vessel to rupture, thereby spilling blood into the surrounding tissue. As a result, the ear flap fills up with blood, and feels like a soft cushion or a fluid-filled pocket. Do not drain it yourself! This could lead to permanent scarring and infection. The only resolution is through proper surgical aid. Surgery should be done very quickly, or the pet might wind up with “cauliflower ear”, a permanent condition that renders the ear flap heavily scarred and often caused the pet to become deaf.

Entropion

Entropion is when either a top or bottom eyelid (or both) is folded inward, causing the eyelashes to rub against the surface of the eye. This can cause pain, squinting and tearing, and can lead to permanent damage of the cornea. Untreated entropion can cause enough damage to the eye for it to eventually become medically necessary to remove it. While any cat or dog can have this condition, it is particularly common in Shar Peis, Chow Chows and Retrievers. It may be present at birth, or it may develop later in life.

Fortunately, there is a surgical resolution for this ailment.  If your pet has been diagnosed with entropion, or if you suspect your pet has it, please contact our clinic .

Enucleation

A pet may have endured a certain trauma, or be suffering from an illness, that requires the surgical removal of an eye.  This is known as an enucleation of the eye.  Most enucleations are performed as a result of an animal having been hit by a car or attacked by another animal, as these violent encounters may have partially forced the eye out of its socket.  Advanced glaucoma might also require an enucleation to relieve the pet of pain.

After an enucleation has been performed, the eyelids are shortened, and are then permanently sewn shut.

Cherry eye

A cherry eye is when the inner eyelid gland prolapses, and becomes visible.  This can happen in one or both eyes.  Cherry eyes are particularly common in Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds and Bulldogs. To treat this condition, the gland is tacked back down into place.  In some cases, the animal may have one or more re-occurrences of the cherry eye.

Umbilical

Umbilical hernias is a condition in which the abdominal contents protrude through the abdominal wall at the umbilicus (bellybutton).  It is seen as a small, perfectly round, jelly-like lump right between the two mammary chains, just below the ribcage.  It occurs in both cats and dogs, but is much more common in dogs.  Umbilical hernias are typically not a cause for concern, but should be looked at by a veterinarian if the hernia becomes noticeably larger.

Inguinal

Inguinal hernias are soft masses in the groin area, between the nipples and the leg.  They are different sizes, and are considered to be more serious than umbilical hernias.

Vaginal prolapse

Vaginal prolapses are most common in unspayed females dogs.  A vaginal prolapsed is when the vaginal wall protrudes through the vulva, giving a pink, donut-shaped appearance.  Vaginal prolapses reoccur in females who aren’t spayed, so your pet will be spayed at the time of surgery.

Pyometra

Pyometra is a the bacterial infection of the uterus.  This is a relatively common issue in unspayed females, and when it occurs, must be treated immediately.  There are three types of pyometra: open, closed and stump.  For open pyometra, the most obvious symptom is a discharge of pus from the vulva.  For closed pyometra, the dog may be lethargic, have abdominal distention, lethargy and fever.  Stump pyometra, a condition that is less common than the others, occurs in the uterine stump left behind in spayed animals.

Scrotal Ablation

A scrotal ablation is the removal of the entire scrotal sac. When a dog is neutered, the scrotal sac is typically left behind. Since this sac no longer houses the testicles, it eventually shrinks.  However, there may be times that the entire scrotal sac may need to be removed, such as if there has been trauma to the scrotum.  Neutering an older dog may leave behind a pendulous scrotal sac, so a scrotal ablation is sometimes done at the time the dog is neutered.

Crytorchid

Cryptorchidism is a birth defect in which one, or both, of a dog’s testicles fail to migrate from the body cavity into the scrotum.  The condition may resolve itself in young puppies, but if both testicles have not descended to the scrotum by six months of age, it can be assumed that they won’t.  If this is the case, the dog should be neutered relatively early, as the incidence of testicular cancer in unneutered cryptorchid dogs is high.

There are two types of cryptorchidism: abdominal and inguinal.  In an abdominal cryptorchid, the testicle has been retained in the abdomen, while in an inguinal cryptorchid, the testicle has been retained in the scrotal area.

Mastectomy

Mammary cancer can occur in both cats and dogs.  The most obvious sign that your pet might have  cancer is a growth, or a series of growths, along the mammary glands.  Mammary tumors are one of the most common types of tumor in dogs.

Debulking

Debulking is when part of a malignant tumor is removed.  This is done only if the tumor cannot be removed in its entirety. Debulking should be accompanied by chemotherapy and/or radiation.  (The Sam Simon Foundation does not offer chemotherapy or radiation, so if you are considering a debulking, you will need to consult with a board-certified oncologist ahead of time. Also, please note that our clinic will only debulk a tumor on an animal one time.)

Tumors

Tumors are growths that are cancerous.  They can appear in many different shapes, sizes, and textures.  All masses should be inspected by a veterinarian for analysis.

Lipomas

Lipomas are also called fatty tumors.  They are the proliferation of fat cells, which form a growth.  Lipomas are particularly common in large dogs, middle-aged dogs, particularly overweight females.  If a dog is prone to lipomas, it is possible that s/he has more than one.  Each mass should be inspected by a veterinarian as it arises, as it may be something other than a lipoma.

Most lipomas do not need to be removed, but should be re-inspected if they grow quickly in a short period of time, as a very small percentage can become cancerous.

Bite wounds

Our clinic can repair many bite wounds.  However, this does not mean that you should delay treatment if your pet is in pain, or in danger of hemorrhaging.  If your pet has been bitten or attacked by another animal, you should immediately take him to a veterinarian for treatment.  Once your pet has been stabilized, then you can contact us for surgical help.

Bladder Stones

Bladder stones can occur in both dogs and cats.  Your pet may be urinating more frequently, or urinating throughout the house.  The urine might be pink- or red-tinged, or there may be no urine stream at all as your pet strains to urinate.  Often the pet seems depressed and doesn’t want to eat.  Bladder stones can be incredibly painful, and should be treated immediately.

If you suspect your pet has bladder stones, please visit your regular veterinarian right away.  Bladder infections can have the same symptoms as stones, so you need to have your pet evaluated.  If your veterinarian suspects stones, and unless s/he can definitely feel them on palpation, you must have x-rays taken before scheduling an appointment with us.

Exploratory

We are limited on the types of exploratory surgeries we can do.  If your regular veterinarian has suggested that your pet needs some type of exploratory surgery, please have them submit all the medical records to us, and let us know what the concern is.  Exploratories are handled on a case-by-case basis.