Unrivaled Skill, Safety & Support: Advanced Cat and Dog Surgery in Salt Lake City, UT

Tabby cat wearing plastic protective collar after surgery

Hearing that your pet may need surgery can bring up a lot at once: worry, questions, cost concerns, and the need to make the right decision quickly. WAG Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital provides cat and dog surgery for pets who need advanced surgical care, emergency procedures, or referral-based treatment for complex conditions.

Our surgical team supports dogs and cats from Salt Lake City, UT and beyond with a wide range of needs, from orthopedic injuries and abdominal surgery to urinary procedures, cancer-related surgery, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, and advanced soft tissue procedures. WAG was built to combine elevated surgical skill with transparency, clear communication, and a team approach that helps you understand what is happening at each step.

If your pet has been referred for surgery, injured unexpectedly, or diagnosed with a condition that may require a procedure, contact WAG.

Call Us (801) 893-6886

Refer a Patient

When Might My Pet Need Surgery?

A pet may need surgery when medication, monitoring, or routine care cannot fully address the problem. Surgery may be recommended to repair an injury, remove a mass, relieve pain, correct an obstruction, treat a neurologic condition, or manage a life-threatening emergency.

Your dog or cat may benefit from a surgical evaluation if they have:

A torn ligament, fracture, dislocation, or severe orthopedic injury
A mass, tumor, or suspected cancer requiring removal or biopsy
A foreign body or blockage in the stomach or intestines
Severe abdominal pain, internal bleeding, or organ disease
Breathing or airway problems

Urinary obstruction, urinary stones, or ureteral disease
Severe ear disease that has not responded to other care
Spinal pain, paralysis, or neurologic symptoms
Traumatic wounds or injuries after an accident
A condition recommended for specialty referral

What Cat and Dog Surgeries Does WAG Offer?

WAG performs a wide range of surgical procedures for dogs and cats. The exact recommendation depends on your pet’s diagnosis, stability, imaging results, lab work, and overall health.

Soft Tissue Surgery

Soft tissue surgery includes procedures involving the skin, abdomen, chest, airway, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and other internal structures. These procedures may be recommended for masses, wounds, hernias, organ disease, foreign bodies, airway concerns, or life-threatening emergencies.

Examples of soft tissue procedures include:

Abdominal exploratory surgery
Biopsies
Intestinal surgery
Gallbladder surgery
Splenectomy
Liver procedures
Hernia repair
Airway surgery
Wound reconstruction

Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic surgery treats injuries and conditions involving bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons. These procedures can help restore mobility, reduce pain, and support a better quality of life after injury or chronic joint disease.

WAG’s orthopedic procedures include:

TPLO
Patellar luxation stabilization
Fracture repair with plates, screws, pins, or external fixation
Arthrodesis
Femoral head and neck ostectomy
Tendon repair
Other advanced orthopedic procedures

Neurologic Surgery

Neurologic surgery may be recommended for pets with spinal cord compression, severe neck or back pain, weakness, paralysis, or certain neurologic emergencies. These cases often require advanced imaging and careful surgical planning.

Neurologic procedures our veterinarians perform include:

Hemilaminectomy
Cervical hemilaminectomy
Cervical ventral slot
Dorsal laminectomy

Surgical Oncology

Surgical oncology focuses on removing or managing tumors and cancer-related conditions when surgery may help diagnosis, comfort, function, or disease control. These cases may involve biopsy, mass removal, staging, reconstruction, or more advanced procedures.

At WAG, we offer:

Anal sacculectomy for neoplasia
Mastectomy
Maxillectomy
Mandibulectomy
Nasal planum resection
Limb amputation
Hemipelvectomy
Scapulectomy
Advanced maxillofacial surgery

Urinary and Urogenital Surgery

Urinary surgery may be needed when pets have urinary stones, obstruction, ureteral disease, urethral disease, or other conditions that affect the kidneys, bladder, ureters, or urethra. These cases can be painful and may become emergencies.

Our urinary and urogenital surgery capabilities include:

Cystotomy
Cystectomy
Nephrectomy/ureteronephrectomy
Perineal urethrostomy
SUB placement
Ureteral surgery
Urethrostomy
Urethrotomy
Prostate surgery
Related urinary procedures

Airway, Ear, and Thoracic Surgery

Some pets need surgery for breathing concerns, ear disease, chest conditions, or airway obstruction. These procedures require careful planning, anesthesia, monitoring, and post-operative support.

Airway, ear, and thoracic procedures include:

BOAS-related procedures
Laryngeal sacculectomy
Staphylectomy
Tracheostomy
Tracheal resection
Tracheal ring prosthesis
Total ear canal ablation with bulla osteotomy
Thoracotomy
Thoracic wall resection
Related airway, ear, and chest procedures

Emergency Surgery

Emergency surgery may be needed after trauma, internal bleeding, foreign body ingestion, gastric or intestinal obstruction, urinary obstruction complications, respiratory compromise, or other sudden life-threatening conditions. In these moments, fast assessment and clear communication matter.

Emergency surgical needs may include:

Trauma repair
Internal bleeding evaluation and treatment
Foreign body removal
Gastric or intestinal obstruction surgery
Urinary obstruction-related procedures
Respiratory emergency procedures
Emergency abdominal surgery
Wound repair
Other urgent procedures for unstable patients

What Does Recovery Look Like for Pets Who Had Surgery?

Recovery depends on the procedure, your pet’s age and health, and whether the surgery was planned or performed during an emergency. Some pets go home the same day, while others need ICU care, oxygen support, pain control, or continued monitoring.

At home, most pets need a quiet recovery area, restricted activity, medications as directed, and close observation. Your pet may need help with stairs, short leash walks, incision protection, or appetite support during the first several days.

Call WAG if your pet has trouble breathing, persistent vomiting, uncontrolled pain, pale gums, bleeding, incision swelling or discharge, collapse, or behavior that seems suddenly worse. We would rather hear from you early than have you worry at home.

If your pet has been referred for surgery or may need emergency surgical care, contact WAG today.