Surgery

Endoscopy involves using special flexible or rigid "tubes" with a camera and light source to non-invasively examine various parts of the body to diagnose growths and tumours, inflammatory disease, remove foreign bodies/stones and obtain biopsy samples.

Laparoscopy, also known as keyhole surgery, is another option for pet owners who want less pain and faster recovery for their beloved furkids. It is a minimally invasive surgical option with less pain, smaller wounds and faster recovery. The procedure uses tiny video cameras (endoscopes) and fine instruments via tiny incisions. This procedure is performed by our Principal Veterinarian, Dr Brian Loon, who has been performing endoscopy and laparoscopy since 2014.

For more information, please click here.

What surgeries are performed at Amber Vet?

Examples of surgeries we perform:

• Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery and spay
• Lump/tumour removals
• General abdominal surgery
• Sterilisation (Neuter/castration, spay)

Please call us for more information on particular surgeries.

What can I expect during the admission process?

All pets undergoing surgery will receive a thorough pre-surgery check up to fully understand your pet's health and any pre-existing medical conditions. Owners will be guided through the surgical procedure, potential risks/complications as well as post-operative care to expect.

A pre-anaesthetic blood test is recommended for all pets prior to anaesthesia or surgery. This assesses liver and kidney function, red blood cell levels and blood clotting function. This allows us to thoroughly assess your pet and provide you the assurance that risks of anaesthesia and surgery are minimised.

Important notes:

1. The admission process is expected to take about one hour.
2. The owner registered in our accounts must be present to sign permission forms. Please call us to make prior arrangements if another representative will be present at admission instead.
3. A deposit of 50% of the estimated cost of the procedure will be collected at admission.

What is done to ensure my pet’s safety and comfort during surgery?

When monitored intensively, the risk of general anaesthesia is generally very minimal in both young and old pets without severe organ dysfunction. All our patients under anaesthesia are closely monitored by a dedicated nursing staff as well as advanced equipment to monitor breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, ECG, body temperature and carbon dioxide levels in the breath. This ensures that your pet remains as safe as possible during the entire procedure.

We are equipped with the Covidien ForceTriad ™, a human-grade electrocautery/ blood vessel sealing machine that makes precise surgical incisions with less bleeding and seals blood vessels, thus minimising overall blood loss and surgical time, especially useful in surgeries such as large tumour removal, splenectomy and laparoscopic spay.

Dental COHAT

Oral health is important for pets. At Amber Vet, we provide more than just routine dental scaling and polishing. We perform Dental COHAT (Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment) - which includes full mouth dental x-ray to detect any decaying abnormal teeth (including hidden teeth roots) which are not visible to the naked eye.

Root canal treatment (endodontics) is available at Amber Vet for pet owners who want to save their pet's chipped or fractured teeth that are functionally important such as canine (fang) teeth and chewing molars/premolars (carnassial teeth).

Read more about Root Canal Treatment here.

Orthodontic dental treatment involves the correction of misaligned (maloccluded) teeth. Unlike in humans, we do not perform orthodontic treatment for cosmetic reasons. Malocclusion in dogs and cats result in difficulty chewing well, and importantly pain due to inability to teeth causing ulcers on the gums/hard palate, which can result in nasal/sinus infections if severe. These issues are often under-diagnosed, with the canine teeth most commonly affected.

Dog breeds predisposed to malocclusion include long-nosed (dolichocephalic) breeds such as the dachshund, collie, greyhound, Italian greyhound, whippet and Afghan hound due to their narrow lower jaws resulting in linguoversion of canine teeth, where the lower canines are positioned too narrowly and rub on the hard palate (roof of the mouth). Short-nosed breeds also commonly have malocclusion issues due to their shortened lower jaw (overbite), including the shih tzu, boxer, bulldog, chow chow, lhasa apso, pekingese and pug.

There are a wide variety of procedures to correct malocclusion, such as temporary crown extension, power chain, inclined plane devices, expansion screws, or crown shortening with vital pulpotomy. The choice of technique will depend on a thorough assessment by our veterinarians, led by our principal veterinarian Dr Brian Loon.

Prosthodontics involves the fitting of artificial replacements for the crowns of teeth. This is commonly done on teeth that have compromised crown structure, making it prone to damage when chewing. Chipped/fractured teeth that have had root canal treatment performed are the most common cases to have a prosthetic crown considered.  

The prosthetic crown is usually made of alloy metal, providing superior strength and resistance to biting forces compared to the original tooth structure. This involves a minimum of a 2-step process about 2-3 weeks apart. The first step involves preparing the tooth to receive the prosthetic crown by carefully shaping it with fine burs, followed by creating a detailed impression of the shaped tooth. This impression is then sent to a laboratory to custom manufacture the prosthetic crown. When the crown arrives a few weeks later, a second shorter anaesthetic procedure is then needed to fit the crown on the tooth and seal it in place. With good general dental care and avoidance of chewing on very hard objects, the prosthetic crown can be expected to last many years.