Pulse - October 2024 - 14

UC DAVIS UPDATE
UC Davis Opens Dedicated
Orthopedic Surgery Center
Rob Warren, UC Davis VMTH Communications & Marketing Officer
T
he UC Davis veterinary
hospital has expanded its
Orthopedic Surgery Service
to open the Advanced Veterinary
Surgery Center. Modeled
after human health inpatient/
outpatient facilities, the center
provides advanced surgical
capabilities for animals suffering
from injuries or disorders
of the bones and joints, while
increasing case volume and
training capacity.
The standalone center is located just steps
from the veterinary hospital and encompasses
25 rooms and 7,300 square feet of space, including
three state-of-the-art operating rooms.
Due to a surge in pet ownership during the
pandemic and a steady increase in caseload, the
Orthopedic Surgery Service now experiences
a continual demand for its high-caliber and
cutting-edge services, resulting in a backlog of
patients. Currently, there is a four- to six-week
wait time for orthopedic surgeries to address
non-life-threatening conditions. The caseload
for orthopedic surgeries has steadily increased
over the past 30 years and has long since reached
the capacity of the hospital's existing surgical
suites. The center will address this growth and
future needs for more surgery space.
" As the nation's top-ranked veterinary
school, we had a bold vision to create a stateof-the-art
facility dedicated to providing
life-changing surgical treatment for dogs, cats
and other beloved companion animals, " said
Mark Stetter, dean of the School of Veterinary
Medicine. " Our surgical specialists set the bar
for innovative treatments, including total hip
replacements with the ability to create custom,
3D-printed titanium implants if necessary. We
are motivated to grow our capacity to lead a
rapidly evolving field to even greater heights. "
Completed entirely with donor funds, the
center will focus on advanced procedures like
14
UC Davis orthopedic surgeons in action at the new Advanced Veterinary Surgery Center.
total hip replacements. UC Davis is one of few
veterinary facilities in the world that routinely
performs these critical procedures. The Advanced
Veterinary Surgery Center will allow clinicians to
bring exceptional care to patients, while breaking
new ground in surgical innovation.
" Beyond more space and surgical opportunities,
the center will provide orthopedic
surgeons with even greater access to the most
innovative technologies and surgical instruments
to treat patients, " said Michael Mison,
chief veterinary medical officer. " It will accommodate
advances in surgical instrumentation,
anesthesia and monitoring equipment, and
imaging equipment to support sophisticated
procedures in small animals. "
The center will also enhance opportunities
for the next generation of specialists through
resident and fellowship training, elevating UC
Davis as the national leader in training specialists.
This year, the hospital added a dedicated
post-residency fellow, to concentrate on orthopedic
surgeries in the new center. In addition,
the service's six surgical residents will spend
time training in the facility under faculty orthopedic
surgeons Po-Yen Chou, Barbro Filliquist,
Amy Kapatkin, and Denis Marcellin-Little.
Along with nine registered veterinary technicians
solely focused on orthopedic surgery
patients, these dedicated professionals make
up one of the largest orthopedic surgery teams
of any veterinary hospital in the world.
In the coming years, as UC Davis looks to
expand its veterinary services in Southern California,
orthopedic surgery may be one of the
specialties included in the new Janice K. Hobbs
UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern
California, slated to open in San Diego in
early 2026. The facility will replace the existing
UC Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego,
and will feature 24/7 emergency and critical
care, along with many specialty services. P
OCTOBER 2024
PULSE
Pulse - October 2024

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