In orthopaedics we deal with bones, joints and the muscles that move them. We treat injuries and fractures of these structures but are also involoved in preventative surgery and therapy. An important area of orthopaedic medicine is dealing with the development and growth of musculoskeletal structures and problems that can occur.
The first signs you may see of an orthopaedic problem may involve your pet becoming lame or painful in a particular area. Some conditions, however, can be very subtle and detailed examination may be required to localise the area of concern. When you come to us the first step will be to take a thorough of the problem before a clinical examination is performed. This may be all that is required with simple injuries, however, alot of the time more detailed investigation is needed. This will depend on the specific nature of your pet's problem but may involve radiography (x-rays), ultrasonography (scans) and blood tests.
In more complicated cases we may recommend arthroscopy (placing a 'camera' into the joint) and somtimes we may send your pet to another centre for MRI or CT scanning.
If surgery is required we have a fully equipped theatre dedicated to orthopaedic surgery, with all the specialist equipment needed for fracture repair and corrective procedures.
In all cases we will discuss with you what investigations are required and the course of treatment we recommend.
At the Drove we are committed, not only to managing orthopaedic problems to the best possible standard, but to helping your pet during the recovery period of months and years afterwards. Your vet will be able to talk to you about appropriate longterm medical therapy but also about the possibilities of physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and acupuncture.
