Mon / Tue / Thu / Fri: 9am – 6pm
Wed: 9am – 6pm (farm calls – large animal)
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Hickory Hill Veterinary Services provides compassionate, expert amputation surgery in Tampa for pets requiring limb removal due to injury, cancer, or irreparable orthopedic disease.
Amputation involves the surgical removal of a limb or digit and is recommended when a limb cannot be salvaged due to severe trauma, bone tumors, irreparable fractures, severe infection (osteomyelitis), or vascular compromise. While amputation may initially seem like a drastic option, it is often the most humane choice — eliminating chronic pain and allowing your pet to live a full, active life. Dogs and cats adapt remarkably well to three legs, often returning to near-normal activity levels within weeks of surgery and rehabilitation. Our team approaches every amputation decision with careful consideration of your pet’s diagnosis, prognosis, and quality of life.
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Our veterinary team at Hickory Hill Veterinary Services provides thorough evaluation and compassionate surgical care for pets requiring amputation.
Before recommending amputation, our veterinarian performs a complete examination and appropriate diagnostics including radiographs, bloodwork, and potentially biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and rule out treatable alternatives.
Pre-anesthetic bloodwork ensures surgical safety. Our team discusses the procedure, expected outcomes, recovery process, and post-operative quality of life with you before proceeding.
Amputation is performed under general anesthesia using precise surgical technique to minimize trauma and ensure clean tissue margins. The incision is closed in multiple layers with appropriate sutures to promote healing.
Multimodal pain management is provided during and after surgery. Our team provides detailed discharge instructions including wound care, activity restriction, and rehabilitation exercises to help your pet adapt quickly to their new mobility.
The goal of amputation is not just to remove a limb — it is to relieve suffering and restore your pet’s quality of life. For many pets, amputation provides the best path to a pain-free, functional existence.
For pets suffering from bone cancer, irreparable fractures, or chronic osteomyelitis, amputation removes the source of constant pain. Most pets are noticeably more comfortable within days of surgery.
Dogs and cats are exceptionally good at adapting to three legs. Most tripawd pets run, play, and enjoy life fully, often surprising their owners with their speed of recovery and adjustment.
For pets with bone tumors, amputation combined with appropriate oncology treatment can extend life significantly while maintaining good quality of life throughout.
Yes, the vast majority of dogs and cats adapt excellently to three legs. Most are walking and playing within 2–4 weeks of surgery. Smaller and younger pets typically adapt fastest, but older and larger dogs also do very well with appropriate rehabilitation and pain management.
Amputation costs vary depending on the limb, level of amputation, and any additional diagnostics required. Call (813) 373-5924 for a personalized estimate after evaluation. Most amputations are one-time procedures with no ongoing surgical costs.
Fast your pet from midnight the night before surgery. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required. After surgery, restrict activity to prevent jumping or running for 2–4 weeks, keep the incision clean and dry, and administer all prescribed medications.
Amputation may be indicated for bone tumors, severe traumatic fractures, irreparable joint disease, severe osteomyelitis, vascular injury causing limb non-viability, and chronic pain unresponsive to all other treatments. Our team evaluates each case individually.
Call (813) 373-5924 or visit 326 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL 33613. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am–6pm.
Help your pet live pain-free with expert amputation care in Tampa. Call (813) 373-5924 or visit 326 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL 33613. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am–6pm.
