Veterinary Surgical Services in Highlands Ranch, CO

Surgery usually becomes the right option when a problem cannot be resolved with medication, rest, or monitoring alone. That might mean removing a growing lump, clearing a bladder stone, spaying or neutering a young pet, or correcting something found during an exam or on imaging.

The only way to know for certain is a careful evaluation. During a consultation, we examine your pet, review any diagnostics, and talk through whether a procedure is truly necessary or whether a gentler path makes more sense. We never rush that conversation, and we want you to leave understanding the reasoning behind any recommendation.

Our soft tissue surgery covers procedures involving the skin, organs, and internal systems, rather than the bones and joints. These are among the most common operations pets need across a lifetime.

• Abdominal and exploratory procedures
• Cystotomy to remove bladder stones
• Mass and tumor removal, with tissue sent for analysis when appropriate
• Biopsies to reach a clear diagnosis
• Wound and abscess repair
• Vulvoplasty, BOAS surgery, enucleations

For cases that call for specialized orthopedic or referral-level care, we coordinate with trusted specialty partners, so your pet still receives seamless treatment.

Modern anesthesia is very safe for the vast majority of healthy pets, and we take deliberate steps to keep it that way. Every patient receives pre-surgical bloodwork to check organ function first, and we tailor the anesthetic plan to your pet’s age, size, breed, and health.

Throughout the procedure, a dedicated team member provides continuous anesthesia monitoring, tracking heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and temperature so we can respond the instant anything changes. If it would help to understand what anesthesia involves and how it keeps pets comfortable during a procedure, that background can make the day feel far less daunting.

We know anesthesia is often a parent’s biggest worry, so we are always happy to walk you through our protocols beforehand.

We keep surgery low-stress by building Fear Free surgical care into every step, from check-in through recovery. As a Fear Free Certified practice, our whole team is trained to read each pet’s body language and adjust the pace, handling, and surroundings so animals feel settled rather than frightened.

In practice, that might mean gentle pre-visit medication for an anxious dog, a quiet space away from busier areas, or simply slowing down to let a nervous cat get comfortable. Calmer pets recover more smoothly, and it is a difference you can feel the moment you walk in.

Every procedure follows a clear, three-part process built around safety and comfort. Knowing what to expect ahead of time tends to settle a lot of nerves.

• Before: We confirm fasting instructions, complete a physical exam and lab work, and finalize an anesthetic plan made for your pet.
• During: Your pet is continuously monitored while our team performs the procedure with focus and care.
• After: We manage pain proactively, share plain-language home care instructions, and set up any needed follow-up.

Because many families prefer written detail they can revisit, we are glad to send recovery instructions in an email you can save at home.

Yes. Pet dental surgery (COHAT), short for Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment, is one of the procedures we perform most often. Dental disease is common and frequently painful, yet it hides easily behind a normal-looking smile.

Under safe anesthesia, we clean below the gumline, take dental radiographs, chart every tooth, and perform surgical extractions when a tooth is too damaged to save. Relieving oral pain often brings a real lift in a pet’s energy and appetite. If you have noticed bad breath, drooling, or a reluctance to eat, it may be time to have your pet’s mouth checked.

Yes. Flat-faced breeds such as Bulldogs, Frenchies, Pugs, and Persian cats often struggle to breathe because of narrowed nostrils and other airway changes, and we offer corrective brachycephalic airway (BOAS) surgery to help.

Common procedures include widening stenotic nares, meaning pinched nostrils, and addressing an elongated soft palate. For pets that snore heavily, tire quickly, or overheat in warm weather, these operations can be life-changing. If you own a short-nosed breed, we are glad to assess whether surgery could improve their quality of life.

Most pets bounce back from routine surgery within one to two weeks, though the timeline depends on the procedure and your pet’s age and health. Spays, neuters, and small mass removals heal quickly, while more involved operations ask for a bit more patience.

You will go home with specific instructions covering activity restriction, incision care, pain medication, and any follow-up visits. Sticking to those steps closely is the single biggest factor in a smooth recovery. We stay reachable the whole way through, so if anything looks off at home, a quick call is all it takes.

The cost of surgery varies with the procedure, your pet’s size, and the diagnostics and medications involved, so we provide a clear written estimate before anything is scheduled. You should never be surprised by the final bill.

We also work to keep care affordable. Our team is glad to walk through pet insurance with you and provide the itemized paperwork most plans need for reimbursement. If cost is a concern, please tell us. There are often more options than owners expect.

Families choose us for surgery because we pair advanced, on-site medicine with the calm, personal attention of an independent practice. We are not a high-volume clinic moving pets through on a conveyor belt. We slow down, we listen, and we treat the emotional side of surgery as seriously as the medicine.

• Led by Dr. Nina Clow, who has cared for this community’s pets for more than two decades
• Fear Free Certified handling from check-in through recovery
• Diagnostics, imaging, and surgery all in one place, with no runaround
• A comfort-focused setting and honest, clear communication at every step
• A privately owned practice guided by Dr. Clow’s belief that pets are gifts worth caring for with intention

You can read more about our approach and history to understand why generations of families have stayed with us.