Soft Tissue Surgery

Soft Tissue Surgery in Lincoln, AR

Welcome to Smithers Animal Hospital-Lincoln, where Dr. Bridger Smithers performs soft tissue surgery for dogs and cats in Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Farmington, Summers, and everywhere in between.

Understanding Soft Tissue Surgery

Soft tissue surgery covers procedures on the skin, muscles, and internal organs, rather than the bones and joints. When your pet has a lump that needs to come off, has swallowed something they shouldn’t have, or can’t urinate, surgery can be what gets them back to feeling like themselves. The soft tissue surgeries we perform include:

• Exploratory surgeries
• Biopsies
• Excisions of abnormal growths
• Removal of foreign materials causing obstruction in the digestive tract
• Removal of bladder and urethral obstructions

Some of these are planned in advance, like removing a growth. Others, like a blocked intestine or a urinary blockage, can’t wait. A pet who is vomiting repeatedly, straining to urinate, or not passing urine needs to be seen right away, because these blockages can quickly become life threatening.

For a broader look at procedures inside the abdomen, see our internal surgery page, and for growths that may be cancerous, our cancer surgery page.

What to Expect When Your Pet Needs Soft Tissue Surgery

From the first exam to the recheck visit, we keep you informed at every step:

A Careful Evaluation

Our doctor will conduct an evaluation to determine if surgery is the best option for your pet’s condition. Since every pet is unique, we complete an assessment prior to surgery so that we can screen for any abnormalities or conditions that may be problematic.

Anesthesia Built Around Your Pet

It’s very common to worry about anesthesia, especially for an older pet. We use the information from our evaluations and consider your pet’s species, breed, age, and health to create an anesthetic protocol best suited to your pet.

Monitored Recovery

After surgery, our staff continues to monitor your pet’s vital signs and pain levels. We keep your pet on site, where our veterinarian can supervise the recovery, until your pet is well enough to go home with you.

Follow-Up Care

All surgeries are followed up with a post-surgical examination and rehabilitation if needed. If a biopsy or growth was sent for testing, we’ll go over the results with you.

When Your Pet May Need Soft Tissue Surgery

Many soft tissue problems start with something you notice at home. Give us a call if your pet has:

• A new lump or bump, or one that is growing or changing
• Repeated vomiting, especially after chewing on toys, bones, or household items
• A sore belly or a sudden loss of appetite
• Trouble urinating, such as straining, passing little or no urine, or blood in the urine
• A wound or sore that isn’t healing

Not every lump or upset stomach needs surgery. Our doctor will examine your pet, explain what we find, and walk you through every option so you can make the best choice for your pet. If surgery is needed, you can rest assured that we will take the utmost care of your pet and treat it as our own.

Male cats with repeated urinary blockages may benefit from a perineal urethrostomy. Soft tissue surgery is one part of our surgery services.