Levittown Animal Hospital Blog

I catch a lot of grief from classmates and colleagues for not performing some surgeries they view as “easy” or “routine.”  I will readily admit to both colleagues and clients that I have not cut into any intestines in about three years or a bladder since 2002.  I’ve never even attempted to learn how to perform a cruciate surgery or plate/pin a broken bone.  I most often refer these cases to one of many surgical specialists in my area.  In a few cases, I had a surgeon come to my hospital to perform the operation, or my associate was around to do it.  Does it cost the client more to see a specialist? Of course …sometimes three to four times what a general practitioner would charge for the same surgery.

But is it really the same surgery?  What do you get for the extra one or two  (or three!) thousand dollars you’ll spend with a surgical specialist?  Here’s what I usually tell my clients: “You may be able to find another general practitioner who can do this surgery for half the cost, but keep in mind that that doctor may only do this type of procedure a few times a year.  A specialist has probably done it a couple of times this week.  Surgeons are also much better trained and equipped to deal with any unforeseen complications that arise during the course of surgery.  Your pet will also be monitored overnight in most cases.”

That speech usually puts my clients more at ease about paying a stranger several thousand dollars to cut open their pet.  As veterinary medicine moves more towards specialization, more and more younger doctors (at least those lucky enough to have specialists in close proximity) will give up on trying to do everything for every animal.  But right now just about every general practitioner will perform some sort surgery during the course of their work week.  It could be limited to spays, neuters and lumps/bumps …but it’s certainly not uncommon to see a general practitioner perform a limb amputation or splenectomy or even a perineal urethrostomy.  I know of one gp in New York City who enjoys brain surgery.  What makes these doctors qualified to do these things?  It’s a combination of things: training, experience, confidence, and the right hospital resources and equipment.  But honestly (and there’s no way to say this nicely) some of these veterinarians are barely qualified to give your pet a rabies vaccine.

I have a few physician friends who are bariatric surgeons.  On their websites, they tout that they’ve done “over 700 bariatric cases” or “approximately 2500 operations overall, including residency & fellowship.”  I think it’s about time pet owners start asking their veterinarians “How many times have you done this procedure?”  It’s then up to you to decide what the magic number is.  At what point does your pet become a bona fide surgical patient rather than “practice” for an inexperienced doctor or, even worse, someone’s “experiment?”

Other questions and issue to consider: What are the most common complications with this surgery?  How will the patient be monitored while under anesthesia? How will the patient be cared for post-operatively and overnight?  What sort of pain management will be used in this case?

For more information on what it takes to become a board certified veterinary surgeon, visit: www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/WhatisaBoardCertifiedSurgeon/