Dauphin County, PA Pet Orthopedic Surgery
Surgery of the bones, ligaments and joints.
Orthopedic surgery can dramatically improve your pet’s quality of life.
For this reason, many local family vets will send their patients to Harrisburg’s surgery specialist, Dr. Phil Zeltzman.
ACL or CCL Repair
The most common procedure Dr. Zeltzman performs is ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgery. The ACL or CCL is a ligament that connects the bone above the knee (femur) to the bone below (tibia). Due to injury, age, or being overweight, the ACL can rupture or tear. When this happens, the knee becomes unstable. Left untreated, the injury causes pain and results in irreversible joint damage and arthritis, as well as lameness. However, most dogs have a full recovery with surgery and can go back to having a happy life.
Procedures Dr. Zeltzman offers, depending on the patient, to address an ACL tear include:
- Nylon sutures (lateral suture or Fabello-tibial sutures)
- TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy)
- TTA (tibial tuberosity advancement)
Dr. Zeltzman has performed thousands of these procedures in dogs (and cats), ranging from less than 5 pounds to more than 250 pounds.
Joint Dislocation
Every joint in your dog or cat’s body has the ability to dislocate. Some dislocations are congenital, while others are a result of trauma. The most common joint dislocation for pets is the kneecap, which can actually occur in both knees simultaneously. When this happens, the kneecap slides out of the groove that is supposed to hold it in place at the bottom of the femur. Surgery is required to stop the pain and slow down arthritis.
Fracture Repair
From being hit by a car to suffering a fall, there are multiple reasons your pet may suffer a fractured or broken bone. Most fractures require surgery to be repaired and full recovery to occur.
Amputation
We perform amputation for all kinds of reasons. Mostly cancer, as well as severe trauma or large, non-removable tumors. Fortunately, all patients have done great, and all of their owners have been grateful.
Other orthopedic procedures Dr. Zeltzman can help with include:
Knee Surgery
- ACL surgery (standard or nylon repair)
- Kneecap dislocation (patellar luxation)
- Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO)
- Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA)
Shoulder Surgery
- Dislocation (luxation)
- Osteo-Chondritis Dissecans (OCD)
Joint Surgery
- Arthrodesis (joint fusion)
- Dislocation repair (luxation)
- Ligament rupture (tear) repair
- Tendon rupture (tear) repair
HIP SURGERY
- Hip dislocation (luxation)
- Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS)
- Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO) for hip dysplasia, fractures, dislocations, or genetic disease
Elbow Surgery
- Fragmented Coronoid Process (FCP)
- Osteo-Chondritis Dissecans (OCD)
- Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP)
- Elbow dysplasia
Fracture REpair
- External fixator
- Plate and screws
- Pins
- Wires