Soft Tissue
Surgery


Our approach to patient care is based very much on moving swiftly, to ensure that we thoroughly diagnose your pet’s condition in order to provide appropriate interventions, relief and comfort, without delay. Our specialist-led Soft Tissue Surgery team provide a wide range of surgical procedures for pets, when their condition is not within the orthopaedic category. Led by three European Specialists in small animal surgery, they work closely with other specialists across our multi-disciplinary teams.

From routine procedures to complex conditions

Our Soft Tissue Surgery team also play a pivotal role in managing many of the cases referred to our Internal Medicine and Oncology services. Our experience encompasses every area of soft tissue surgery, and we accept referrals for the seemingly most routine of cases through to more complex situations that may require a multi-disciplinary approach.

Our guiding principle: Making your pet comfortable at all times

Our surgeons discuss every case with the anaesthetist, making sure that an optimal treatment is given to manage intra- and post-operative pain. As a pet owner you will seek to be reassured that if your cat or your dog is undergoing an operation, all the skill and expertise needed to keep your pet as comfortable as possible is being brought to bear. Your peace of mind is as important to us as it is to you, and we treat every pet with the utmost care and attention.

Our highly qualified surgeons perform the most advanced surgical procedures and offer the highest standards of care, supported by an Anaesthesia Specialist, as well as dedicated interns and nursing staff who can provide intensive care to our surgical patients 24 hours a day.

Supporting referring vets

Our Soft Tissue Surgery team provide a full referral service for all surgical conditions. Our team is always available to offer advice over the phone to our veterinary colleagues on any cases that may potentially require surgery.

How our Soft Tissue Surgery service can help

Surgical procedures performed include:

  • Thoracic surgery: removal of lung tumours and other tumours in the chest or chest wall, treatment of chylothorax or pyothorax, pericardiectomy
  • Head and neck operations: brachycephalic airway obstruction, laryngeal paralysis, oral tumours, total ear canal ablation, salivary gland mucoceles, oncologic surgery
  • Gastro-intestinal surgery: treatment of oral tumours, removal of foreign bodies from the oesophagus, stomach and intestine, removal of tumours of the GI tract, perianal surgery (including examples like perineal hernia and anal sac problems).
  • Urogenital surgery: ectopic ureter, urethral obstruction, bladder stones, prostatic disease, kidney tumours, trauma to the urinary tract.
  • Other abdominal procedures: surgery of the liver, spleen and pancreas, tumours of the adrenal glands
  • Removal of skin tumours including reconstruction, where necessary
  • Management of complicated wounds

Advanced clinical services include:

  • Collaborative approach to cancer patients with our oncologists and radiation oncologists
  • Complex reconstructive techniques, enabling an aggressive approach with better outcomes after surgical removal of tumours
  • Emergency out-of-hours surgical service provided by surgeons with a wide experience in the management of complex surgical emergencies
  • A multi-disciplinary approach to critical patients, endocrine surgery patients, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) patients and others in co-operation with the Internal Medicine service
  • Minimally invasive surgeries including laparoscopy and thoracoscopy.

On-site surgical facilities include:

  • 7 operating theatres
  • Dedicated theatre prep area
  • Two x-ray rooms
  • Mobile x-ray
  • Fluoroscopy for interventional procedures
  • Two ultrasound rooms
  • Dedicated recovery suite
  • CU with state-of-the-art IntensoBox Intensive care units
  • High-definition keyhole surgery equipment
  • Surgical staplers
  • Vessel sealing devices

Our Soft Tissue Surgery Team

Our Soft Tissue Surgery team is led by three European Specialists in small animal surgery. The team at Southfields includes dedicated surgical and theatre nurses and technicians who work alongside the surgeons, residents and interns to provide round-the-clock care for our surgical patients.



"When our little terrier, Lady was diagnosed with cancer in her jaw we were both devastated and scared. When we were referred we quickly realised we were in good hands. Their care and support for both us and Lady was wonderful. She received a course of Radiotherapy which helped to make her much more comfortable and she was able to enjoy life again."

Lady Scott, Kent, UK