Do you know the most common procedures surgeons perform?  I just tried to find the answer.

Who cares? For one, I was just curious.

More importantly though, it could possibly make readers aware of what is truly common, and even better, what could be avoided.  Sometimes, it’s just a matter of information.

Finally, it would give interested readers some insight about what happens inside a surgical practice.

Here are the top 5:

1. ACL surgery

2. Abdominal surgery

3. Skin tumor removal

4. Fractures

5. Luxations (dislocations)

So there you go.  The top 5 are probably fairly representative of most surgery clinics.

Other common surgeries would include laryngeal paralysis, “brachycephalic syndrome” surgery (in dogs with a flat face such as the Bulldog), P/U or perineal urethrostomy in cats who cannot pee, anal sac tumor removal, back surgery for a slipped disc.

The list could go on.

Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
Pet surgeon and author of a free, weekly newsletter for true pet lovers, available at DrPhilZeltzman.com

We occasionally hear about pets who seem depressed or lose their appetite when their buddy passes away.  I asked Sue Bulanda, pet behaviorist in Jim Thorpe, PA, to share her thoughts on the subject, and to give some tips on how to help a mourning pet.

Some animals seem to mourn quite deeply at the loss of a beloved companion, whether it is another pet or a human. This is evident by the dramatic changes in our pet's behavior when they suffer a loss. What makes it so difficult is that we cannot explain to our pets what happened and why.

Somehow, our pets seem to understand that the companion is not coming back. Some pets will refuse to eat, become lethargic or refuse to play.  Some will cry or howl. Some will wander around looking for their lost companion.  Some will hug an object that belonged to their lost buddy.

Their eyes will look sad and when we see this it hurts, because we feel helpless and unable to ease our pet's pain. There is no one way to help a pet who is mourning, just as there is no one way to help a human who is mourning.

The best thing you can do for a mourning pet is to be there, but do not lavish affection on them, let them come to you. If you get emotional or upset, your pet will see this and could become even more upset. Do initiate activities, but do not force them to do things when it is obvious that they would rather be left alone.

Make sure you have an upbeat attitude around your pet, but not a forced one. You cannot fool your pet! In time, your pet will get over it.

Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
Pet surgeon and author of a free, weekly newsletter for true pet lovers, available at DrPhilZeltzman.com

What is a senior cat (or a senior dog for that matter)?

There is no specific age at which a cat suddenly becomes senior.  Every pet, every body system ages at different rates.  One convenient way to view older cats is to classify them as “mature or middle aged” (7-10 years), “senior” (11-14 years), and "geriatric” (over 15 years).  The word “senior” can be simply used as a broad category for all older cats.

How often should senior cats (and dogs) see the vet?

The frequency of exams should increase as cats age.  Although there is some controversy regarding frequency of exams in younger cats, a report by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) suggests that senior cats should be examined every 6 months. Why?  Because:

. Many diseases begin to develop in middle aged cats.
. Health changes occur quickly; cats age faster than humans.
. Weight gain or weight loss can be detected and addressed earlier.
. Cats may appear healthy, but may have a serious underlying disease and “compensate” until they can no longer do so.  Then they present very sick.  We see this all the time.  A senior cat appears healthy, never misses a meal, acts playful, and suddenly become sick.  Sometimes, we discover very advanced diseases such as cancer.
. Early detection of disease often results in easier treatment and better quality of life.  It is less costly and more successful than crisis management.
. The frequency of behavior problems increases with age.  One study found 28% of cats aged 11–14 years develop at least one behavior problem, increasing to more than 50% for cats over 15 years of age.


What's the moral of the story?

Senior cats (and dogs) should be examined every 6 months.

Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
Pet surgeon and author of a free, weekly newsletter for true pet lovers, available at DrPhilZeltzman.com

What is bloat?

Bloat is a life-threatening condition in which the stomach becomes bloated with gas (occasionally liquid, occasionally too much food) and may twist on its own axis. This results in a series of complex changes that affect virtually every organ and can cause death. “Bloat” is also called Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV), stomach torsion, flipped stomach or twisted stomach.

We don't know how to prevent bloating, but we can prevent the stomach from twisting.

Gastropexy is a technique that allows the stomach to be sutured to the wall of the belly.  Short-term, it is held in place by sutures (stitches).  Long-term, it is held in place by scar tissue.

The nice thing about gastropexy is that it can be done to prevent twisting, before a patient bloats.  This is called preventive or prophylactic gastropexy.  It is done in a healthy, stable patient.  A great way to do it is while a female of an at-risk breed is being spayed.  Think about it: the belly is already opened!  All that would be needed, is to make a longer incision in the belly, and to do a gastropexy.  How brilliant.  Yet sadly, hardly ever done.

Of course, in most males, the belly is not opened up to do a neuter.  But since they are already under anesthesia, it would make sense to take advantage of it.

Contrary to the urban legend, performing a gastropexy in a young dog should not affect the growth of the stomach.  Only a tiny portion of the stomach is tacked, so fear not.  Your Mastiff won’t end up with the stomach of a Chihuahua!

Some surgeons who have the equipment & experience may be able to do the gastropexy via laparoscopy (kind of a scope), through a few tiny incisions.

In an older pet, already spayed or neutered, you would need to weigh the pros and the cons and discuss this option with your vet or surgeon.

Recently, some Akita lovers came to our practice to discuss prophylactic gastropexy.  They had lost 2 Akitas to bloat.  They knew how bad and costly the condition can be.  So they decided to have the procedure done on their older female and her young male pup.  At the same time, we neutered the male and spayed his Mom.

It a smart medical and financial decision.

Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
Pet surgeon and author of a free, weekly newsletter for true pet lovers, available at DrPhilZeltzman.com