The dvm360® surgery page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on the latest in veterinary surgery. This page consists of videos, interviews, articles, podcasts, and research on the advancements and developments of therapies for surgery, and more.
September 5th 2025
There are many methods for surgically managing idiopathic canine chylothorax, but diagnostic information collected from an individual dog will guide the specific approach.
August 25th 2025
Managing distal limb injuries (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The distal limb is exposed to many traumatic events as a result of its almost constant interaction with the ground. The distal limb is defined as the anatomical structures from the carpus to the distal end of the front and rear limbs. In this area the skin has minimal muscle and fat under it for cushion.
Small animal gait analysis (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Animal movement has been a subject of research for a long period of time. Both qualitative and quantitative gait analyses have been used to analyze canine movement. Veterinarians, breeders, owners, and trainers all can potentially benefit from the recent advances in gait analysis.
Nutrition for athletic and working dogs (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The veterinary profession is currently witnessing an increased demand from our clientele for information concerning performance of the canine athlete. The expectations come as a result of the scientific advancements in human sports medicine. If a pet owner is only interested in companionship, minimal stress will be placed upon the pet's body.
Surgery of the stomach (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The stomach is a C-shaped musculoglandular organ. It has the largest dilatation of the alimentary canal. The stomach lies mainly in a transverse position, Predominantly to the left of the median plane. When it is empty, the stomach lies cranial to the last rib and between the ninth thoracic and first lumbar vertebra.
Patella luxations (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The patella or kneecap is the largest sesamoid bone in the body and one of 4 in the stifle, the other three being the 2 of the gastrocnemius and the popliteal muscle. The patella lies within the tendon of insertion of the quadriceps muscle. The part of the tendon between the apex or distal aspect of the patella and its insertion on the tibial tuberosity is called the patellar ligament.
Advances in managing long-bone fractures (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The most significant change in recent years in the management of fractures has been the more recent emphasis on "biologic fixation" as opposed to "mechanical fixation". The latter refers to the direct fixation techniques whereby fractures are reconstructed anatomically, and the former refers to indirect fixation techniques whereby the fractures are spanned (or "bridged").
Surgery of the spleen (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Surgical procedures performed on the spleen include biopsy, partial splenectomy, and total splenectomy. Techniques employed for each procedure varies with the clinical presentation and, to some degree, surgeon preference. Splenic disease represents an important source of morbidity and mortality in aging dogs.
Treating large mandibular defects (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Bridging reconstruction plates were the first implant used with success in the human mandible. Despite their greater ease of use and application in this location as compared to conventional plates, the low perioperative morbidity was unfortunately followed by high long-term morbidity.
Basic concepts of canine rehabilitation (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Veterinary physical therapy is the process of reconditioning body tissues that have been injured or diseased to their previous state or to a manageable state. Potential applications include recovery from medical cases, injuries, or post-surgical cases. There are three factors to consider in a designing rehabilitation regimen.
Locking plates: What's the difference? (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The basis of plating, as originally described by the AO, has been: 1) anatomic fracture reduction and fixation, 2) rigid fracture stability (compression or splinting), 3) preservation of the blood supply to the soft tissues and bone through careful handling and gentle reduction techniques, and 4) early and safe mobilization of the area.
Elbow dysplasia in dogs (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The elbow joint or cubital joint is composed of three joints: humeroradial, humeroulnar and proximal radioulnar. The joint capsule includes all three joints with one space. The radial head articulates with the capitulum of the humerus whereas the ulna articulates with the trochlea.
Diaphragmatic, inguinal, & perinial hernia repair (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Hernia refers to the abnormal protrusion of an organ or tissue through a normal or abnormal opening in the abdominal muscles or in the diaphragm. The term is commonly used to denote bulging of organs through the muscular part of the abdominal wall.
Managing mandibular fractures in the dog (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011An understanding of the functional anatomy is the prerequisite for successful application of the fracture fixation devices in the unfamiliar location of the mandible. These biomechanical principals must account not only for the very large forces generated, but also the position of the teeth that can – and often do – interfere with implant application.
Biopsy techniques during exploratory laparotomy (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Biopsy and histologic examination should be a part of essentially every exploratory laparotomy in which a direct surgical diagnosis cannot be reached. Relying on gross evaluation and interpretation alone during an exploratory laparotomy will assure that a correct definitive diagnosis will not be reached in some cases.
Surgery of the liver (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011The liver, the largest gland in the body, is divided into six lobes (from a surgical perspective): left lateral, left medial, right lateral, right medial, quadrate, and caudate lobes. The caudate lobe has two processes - papillary and caudate. Biopsy of the liver is frequently performed during exploratory laparotomy.
Managing cruciate disease–Where are we now? (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011A controversy exists in the veterinary field as to which surgical technique is the best to repair a dog's knee that has a cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) injury. There are many accepted surgical techniques described (over 40 different methods) to correct the CrCL-deficient joint.
Severely comminuted femoral fractures (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Severe fractures of the femur can be divided into those fractures which must be reconstructed directly and those that can (and should) be reconstructed indirectly. The former include both intra-articular and periarticular fractures of the femoral head and femoral condyles, and diaphysis in the latter.
Restorative dentistry (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Restorative dental problems, although not as involved as those in human dentistry, can be very technique-sensitive and difficult to resolve. The resolution of particular problems is usually dependent upon the choice and imagination or inventiveness of the operator.
Common reptile surgical procedures: case reports (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Reptile surgery can be very complicated. Luckily in this day & age of Reptile Medicine, we are afforded several options for anesthetic as well as surgical techniques. This lecture will present a few in order to give an overview of some of the current options available to the practitioner.
Rabbit GI surgery (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011As with any surgical procedure in any species; prior to cutting it is important to familiarize oneself with the relevant anatomical and physiological details of the species. A very detailed discussion of these two topics is beyond the scope of this presentation but the reader is strongly advised to familiarize oneself with these topics by the references listed below.
Essential reptile surgeries (Proceedings)
May 1st 2011Reptile surgery is performed under general anesthesia, observing sterile technique, with appropriate monitoring and supportive care. The true strength layer for reptiles is the skin. To prevent dysecdysis after a skin incision heals, an everting suture pattern is used.
Looking to revolutionize canine orthopedics
April 1st 2011Columbia, Mo. - While Dr. James Cook decided early on in life to tackle joint replacements, it was a circuitous route-a path that involved professional water skiing, substitute teaching and a man named Robert Gordon-that led him to the brink of a major discovery.