At Veterinary Dental Specialists of Wisconsin, we have the training and experience to treat most oral surgery conditions for your pet in and around the Milwaukee, WI area. This includes everything from routine and complicated dental extractions, periodontal surgery, maxillofacial trauma, jaw fractures, oral tumors, palatal defects, avulsed/subluxated teeth, oronasal fistulae, and more.
Oral Surgery
Oral Tumors in Cats and Dogs
Unfortunately, many of our patients come to us for tumors in the mouth. Many times, these tumors are benign (not cancerous), but sometimes they are malignant (cancerous). Because we are uniquely qualified and experienced in treating them, if your general veterinarian observes an oral tumor, they might recommend you visit us. To properly treat an oral tumor, it must first be diagnosed by taking a sample (biopsy) and sending it to a pathologist.
Proper imaging is necessary for proper surgical planning. Veterinary Dental Specialists of Wisconsin have some of the most advanced equipment and capabilities to perform pet oral surgery in the Milwaukee area. These include equipment to aid in diagnostic imaging and surgical treatments. Many oral tumors can be successfully treated with surgery. Some tumors will require a team approach with your primary veterinarian and a veterinary oncologist.
Maxillofacial Trauma / Jaw Fractures
Jaw fractures are common in dogs and cats. Approximately half of the fractures we see are due to trauma, the other half is due to severe dental disease that weakens the bone (pathological fracture). Trauma could be related to vehicular trauma, falling from a great distance, gun shots, or even fights with other animals. Pathologic fractures are most commonly due to advanced periodontal disease, but other causes including cancer can be underlying. Therefore, it is important to fully assess the mouth to determine the best way to treat.
To successfully treat jaw fractures, proper imaging is crucial. Veterinary Dental Specialists of Wisconsin has some of the best imaging, such as cone beam CT, to obtain the proper diagnosis. When coupled with intra-oral dental radiographs, we can identify most of the problems.
Fracture management is customized for the nature of the fracture and the individual patient’s needs. The primary goal of fracture repair is pain relief/comfort, function, and a return to normal occlusion (bite alignment).
Palatal Defects
Palatal defects can be identified in puppies and kittens at birth, or they can be acquired (develop later in life). The congenital cleft palates are most commonly seen in brachycephalic breeds (pug, bulldogs, etc.) but can occur in any breed. Repair of these defects can be very rewarding for the patient and pet owner. Many dogs and cats can go on to live normal happy lives. Defects that develop later in life can be formed by trauma, infection, cancer, and other causes.
There are various types of repairs available to us depending on the type and size of defect, age of the patient, and underlying cause. While the goal is to correct the problem at the first surgery, it is common for surgical repairs to require more than one surgery. Some patients will need multiple revisional surgeries. Strict adherence to the post-surgical instructions helps to improve the patient outcome.
