Surgical Services

Skilled and Compassionate Care for Your Pet

The entire veterinary team at Cottage Grove Animal Hospital understands the decision to allow your beloved companion to undergo surgery is never easy. For your pet's safety and your peace of mind, we follow the strictest surgical guidelines to keep your pet comfortable and help make the experience as stress-free as possible.

Surgical Procedures at Cottage Grove Animal Hospital

We regularly perform many types of surgeries, including (but not limited to):


To provide the best possible care for your pet, we partner with veterinary surgical specialists Dr. Stephen Levine, Dr. Scott Hammel and Dr. Lara Rasmussen - all of whom perform orthopedic and some soft tissue procedures at our animal hospital in Cottage Grove.

Customized Anesthesia Protocols

Ensuring the health and safety of your pet during surgery is our utmost concern and requires an anesthetic and monitoring regimen that adheres to the highest principles and ideals of quality care. We utilize a multi-parameter monitoring and anesthesia system to ensure your pet's safety during all surgeries.

Prior to surgery, your pet is examined and a pre-surgical blood screen is performed with your permission. The results of these tests and your pet's past anesthetic history, breed, age and weight are used to create an individualized anesthesia protocol. While under anesthesia, your special companion is cared for by a well-trained, experienced veterinary technician using our state-of-the-art monitoring system, which tracks blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature and oxygen level.

Pain Management for Your Pet's Complete Comfort

We all know pain hurts, but pain also has many other detrimental effects on your pet's body. Pain slows healing, decreases activity and can cause behavioral changes such as aggression, anxiety and depression. Pain can exacerbate the effects of diseases like arthritis and some cancers, and it interferes with the bond between you and your pet.

For all these reasons, the team at Cottage Grove Hospital take controlling your pet's pain very seriously. As part of our commitment to keep your pet comfortable and protect the bond you share, we administer a pain management regimen before, during and after surgery. It is our goal to administer treatment before your pet even experiences discomfort.

For surgeries as well as for acute and chronic conditions we use all our available and safe resources, including local anesthetics, NSAIDs (non-steroidal medications) and oral and injectable analgesics for your pet's complete comfort.

Caring for Your Pet After Surgery

Following surgery, your pet is closely monitored and kept warm and comfortable by a dedicated veterinary technician for a safe recovery. As your pet is discharged from the hospital, you will be provided detailed information on how to administer any medication and properly care for your pet to ensure his or her continued recovery. We are also available to answer any questions or concerns that may arise after you and your pet return home.