The big bearded one never misses a change to visit the VCA HAH, but this year we are excited to announce that Santa returns to the "red carpet" for Free Pet Photos with your fur babies!

When: December 14th from 9am-12pm,

Where: VCA Hollywood- Annex

What: Free photos with Santa!!

Join us with your fiery feline and cuddly canine during our free pet photo event. This event has historically been offered on the last day of our pet food drive for Meals on Wheels of So. Florida's Companion Pet Program. in lieu of donations of food, monetary support for meals on wheels for pets, can be made online or (link) or during the event on Saturday, Dec.14th.

As always, one photo will be printed on site and digital prints will be made available online for downloading.

Santa never misses a stop off at VCA Hollywood to see your fur-babies. Check out his visit (caught on camera Dec 2020!) Not Even COVID Could Keep Santa Away.

Visit our Facebook page for great photos of some of the fur-families that joined in the fun as well as outtakes of the hilarity that ensues when Santa suits up with a lot of animals!

 facebook.com/VCAHollywoodAnimalHospital

*These collections are full of some "great shots" and also some silly, "feline in your face", "dog on your lap good" times. Enjoy!

Learn more about Meals on Wheel of So. Florida's Companion Pet Program.

Meals for Companion Pets Founded in 1999, the Meals for Companion Pets Program is a volunteer-driven effort providing pet food to homebound and disabled seniors in Broward County. Research shows that seniors with pets are less likely to exhibit depression, report feelings of loneliness and experience illness. But taking care of a pet – feeding, grooming and veterinary care – can be financially and physically burdensome to seniors. More often than not, a devoted animal lover with limited access to food will feed their hungry pet before they feed themselves. Pet food is provided through the generosity of local donors and grants and is delivered on the third Saturday of each month. Volunteers are always needed on the third Saturday of the month to pack & deliver food.

https://www.mowsoflo.org/meals-for-companion-pets

Arthroscopy for Medial Coronoid Process Disease

Coco is a 6 month old female intact Rottweiler who was referred by her primary care veterinarian for further evaluation of right thoracic limb lameness.

The lameness started 3 weeks prior to presentation, and there was no history of trauma or any other inciting cause. Radiographs had been performed, and showed concern for possible osteochondritis dissecans of the right shoulder. Coco was treated with activity restriction/rest and analgesic medication, but there was no improvement in her lameness. Coco was referred to VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital’s Surgical Service for further evaluation.

On examination, Coco was partial weight bearing lame on her right thoracic limb at a walk and trot. She displayed repeated pain on extension of both the left and right elbow joints. She had no shoulder pain, and normal range of motion of her shoulder joints. A CT scan was recommended to further evaluate Coco’s elbows and shoulders, and to identify the underlying cause of the lameness and pain.

 
A CT scan of Coco’s thoracic limbs revealed bilateral medial coronoid process disease, along with right-sided humeroradial incongruity. Her shoulders were within normal limits. Medial coronoid process disease is a term used to encompass several pathologies, including sclerosis, microfracture, fragmentation, fissuring, and cartilage damage to the medial coronoid process. Elbow joint incongruity is another type of 

developmental elbow pathology, and it can occur alone or in combination with medial coronoid process disease. In fact, elbow joint incongruity is seen in 60% of elbows with medial coronoid process disease. Medial coronoid process disease is initiated by a delay in endochondral ossification, as well as biomechanical forces that act on the medical coronoid process during maturation. Disturbance of endochondral ossification could result from unbalanced mechanical factors and supraphysiological loading of the medial coronoid process. Overloading of the medial compartment of the elbow may also result from joint incongruity. This leads to a progressive process of cleft formation, fracture, bone remodeling, fatigue of subchondral bone, and eventual medial coronoid process disease. Medial coronoid process disease most commonly affects young, large and giant breed dogs. Rottweilers, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherd Dogs have a breed predisposition for medial coronoid process disease. The age at first presentation is usually between 6 and 18 months of age. Elbow joint incongruity is also primarily seen in large breed dogs, and Rottweilers are over-represented.

Treatment of medial coronoid process disease includes both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. For affected animals, the best prognosis is associated with early surgical treatment in young dogs with minimal to mild osteoarthritis in conjunction with preventative measures against osteoarthritis. Coco is an example of an ideal surgical candidate due to her young age, and the fact that the CT scan showed minimal degenerative changes. Traditionally, surgery for these cases was approached via an open arthrotomy. At VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital, arthroscopy is available as one of our minimally invasive treatment options. Arthroscopy has been shown to result in a shorter period of convalescence and better functional outcome compared to arthrotomy. Additionally, arthroscopy allows for superior visualization of intra-articular structures. Improved visualization allows the surgeon to treat each joint more thoroughly and more precisely. Since it is minimally invasive, patients tolerate arthroscopic treatment of both elbow joints in a single session. Plus, elbow arthroscopy can often be performed concurrently with ovariohysterectomy or castration and/or stem cell harvesting.

Bilateral elbow arthroscopy was performed during a single session and revealed fissuring of both the left and right medial coronoid processes, along with synovitis. Arthroscopy revealed fissuring of both the left and right medial coronoid processes, along with synovitis. Arthroscopic debridement of the diseased medial coronoid process was performed with a power burr until healthy subchondral bone was reached. Debridement of diseased cartilage not only removes the inciting cause of pain/lameness, but it also helps slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Debridement to the level of healthy subchondral bone supplies a means of vascular access to the joint. Coco was hospitalized for one night post-operatively, and she was discharged to her owners the following day. At the time of discharge, Coco was comfortable and already ambulating with minimal lameness at the time of discharge. 

Besides cases like Coco’s of medial coronoid process disease, elbow arthroscopy can be performed for diseases including ununited anconeal process, osteochondoris, and incomplete ossificiation of the humeral condyle. This minimally invasive surgical option provides superior visualization and outcome for treatment of certain disease conditions, as well as, less patient morbidity.

Dr. Andrea Clark, DACVS-SA

Andrea.Clark@vca.com

For a list of the Minimally Invasive Surgeries we are offer include (but are not limited to) click here!

For a quick list of doctors and services at VCA Hollywood click here!

Dr. Andrea Clark's surgical service is available Wed-Sat. She can be reached through our dedicated referral line @954-600-9835. This line is provided only to area veterinarians and there staff for their sole use. A doctor is always in at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital. 

  

Minimally Invasive (Soft Tissue) Surgery

 What kinds of surgeries can be done, minimally invasively?

 

·         Thoracoscopy (chest)

o   Exploratory

§  Exploring the chest to figure out a problem/ help diagnose.

o   Lung Lobectomy

§  Removing a piece of the Lung to send out.

o   Pericardiectomy

§  Surgical removal of a portion or all the pericardium (sac around the heart)

o   Pericardioscopy

§  Exploration of the pericardial cavity. (sac around the heart)

o   Lung, Mediastinal and pleural Biopsies

§  Taking samples to send out.

·         Abdominal/ Gastrointestinal

o   Exploratory (can include biopsies)

§  Exploring the abdomen to figure out a problem/ help diagnose.

o   Liver Biopsy

§  Taking a sample of the liver to send out.

o   Pancreatic Biopsy

§  Taking a sample of the pancreas to send out.

o   Adrenalectomy

§  Removal of one or both adrenal glands

o   Colopexy

§  Tacking/suturing the sigmoid colon to the abdominal wall.

o   Cholecystectomy

§  Removal of the Gallbladder

o   Gastropexy

§  Tacking/suturing the stomach to the abdominal wall

·         Urogenital

o   Kidney Biopsy

§  Taking a sample of the kidney.

o   Ovariohysterectomy/Ovariectomy (SPAY)

§  Removal of ovaries

o   Cryptorchidectomy

§  Removal of an undescended testicle

o   Cystopexy

§  Tacking/suturing the urinary bladder to the abdominal wall.

o   Percutaneous Cystolithotomy (PCCL)

§  Removal of bladder and urethral stones.

 Andrea Clark, DVM, DACVS-SA

 

A Spay is Not Just a Spay.

A spay is one of the most common surgical procedures performed by veterinarians. But what exactly is a spay? The term spay is a generic term that means surgical removal of the female reproductive organs. This can mean one of two things. The term spay can refer to ovariohysterectomy, which is the removal of the ovaries and the uterus. Alternatively, spay can refer to ovariectomy, which is removal of only the ovaries. So why do most veterinarians recommend spaying dogs and cats? There are numerous healthy benefits that come from spaying your pet. Spaying female dogs and cats helps prevent accidental pregnancy, reduces the risk for mammary cancer, and eliminates other possible health conditions such as uterine infection (pyometra), ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer. 

 Both ovariohysterectomy and ovariectomy are equally effective, and research has shown no difference in health benefits between the two procedures. So regardless of whether the ovaries and uterus (ovariohysterectomy) or just the ovaries (ovariectomy) are removed, spaying your pet can ultimately lead to your pet living a longer and healthier life. So what is new to learn about the common spay?

Historically, in veterinary medicine, the only way a spay could be performed was by open abdominal surgery. This surgery involves making an incision in the muscles of the abdominal wall, opening the abdominal cavity, and removing the reproductive organs through the abdominal incision. While there is nothing wrong with that method, advances in veterinary medicine and technology have given veterinarians a second way to perform a spay procedure through minimally invasive techniques. This minimally invasive procedure is called laparoscopic surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery uses high-definition cameras, fiber optic lights, and high tech small instruments that are inserted into the abdominal cavity through two tiny incisions. The high-definition cameras allow for superior visualization of your pet’s internal organs – much better than the naked eye. The superior visualization allows the surgeon to see more precisely and this greater detail makes a big difference for your pets’ safety.

Better visualization allows surgeons to be more precise with their surgical techniques as well as detect and address things such as small amounts of hemorrhage present during the procedure. Additionally, the entire surgical procedure can be documented through high definition pictures and videos and the minimally invasive approach, through two tiny incisions, means less pain after surgery and a quicker recovery for your pet.

With the ability to perform minimally invasive surgery, a spay is no longer just a spay. Now pet owners have options when it comes to spaying their pets. And you and your veterinarian can choose how to best serve your pet – either the traditional method, or minimally invasively.

Dr. Andrea Clark, DACVS-SA

Veterinary Surgeon