orthopaedic referral services

Companion Care Milton Keynes offers an Orthopaedic Referral Service.

Huw has a number of year’s experience of orthopaedic surgery, and has worked previously for 5 years as an orthopaedic surgeon at a large London veterinary hospital. Huw is a holder of a Certificate in Small Animal Surgery, an additional qualification in surgery held by less than 3% of UK vets. The types of orthopaedic problems that are commonly treated at the surgery include complex fractures, cruciate surgery and lameness diagnosis.

adjust the forces within the joint rather than attempting to replace the ligament have been associated with very good results,” Huw explains, ”we are now able to offer the latest of these techniques called the Tibial Tuberosity Advancement procedure or TTA at Milton Keynes which I believe offers a reliably good outcome in these cases”.

Huw elaborates, “by moving the point of attachment of the patella ligament forward the joint forces are altered to eliminate shearing force within the knee which ultimately causes the pain, the improvement can be quite rapid, although we have to allow rest for a number of weeks in order for the tissues to heal”.

Since quality x-rays (or ‘radiographs’) are an integral part of good orthopaedic medicine, the surgery has recently invested in a computed radiography system. This is a method of producing digital x-ray images rather than using film and chemicals to obtain an image – in the same way as a digital camera differs from a film camera. The images can be adjusted or magnified to improve the image and allow the vet to see structures or problems that may not have been visible otherwise.

“Since we’ve had the CR system we have been very pleased with the quality of x-ray images we are getting now compared to previously, and this has enabled us to give more accurate and effective treatment”, explains Huw “in addition it also reduces the likelihood of getting poor exposures which means the animals don’t have to spend as long on the x-ray table under anaesthetic.”


The Orthopaedic Referral service – how it works

If you would like to refer your pet for treatment, either you or your vet can phone our reception to make an appointment on 01908 309404

Our receptionists will ask you for your vet’s details in order to get up to date information on your pet’s previous treatment. Then you may be asked to bring along any recent x-rays from your veterinary practice (these are returned later).

Referral appointments are 30minutes long and the vet will talk to you about the problem, examine your pet, provide you with an initial assessment and recommendations as to how to proceed along with an estimate of the costs.

Following this your usual veterinary surgery will be given an update on the assessment of your pet, and the results of any further tests. If surgery has been recommended then your vets will receive a further update once this has been performed including details of what has been done, and any further checks they may need to perform.

You are asked to return to your original surgery for follow up treatment, any unrelated problems and routine healthcare such as vaccinations.