Joint Replacement

Joint Replacement - Hip surgery

During joint replacement, Dr Pozzi will anesthetize your pet, so they won’t feel pain, and replace the damaged joint with a new artificial joint. The goal of joint replacement surgery is to relieve pain and make the joint work better during walking and other activities. Although any joint in a dog’s body can be affected by arthritis, the most commonly affected joints are the hips, elbows, lower back, knees and wrists.

Total Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the damaged cartilage and bone are removed from the hip joint and replaced with artificial components. Total hip replacement in cats and dogs is mostly performed to replace a painful hip joint and restore normal function by eliminating the pain resulting from osteoarthritis (OA) or hip dysplasia. Dogs and cats with chronic pain in their hips not responding to exercises, weight control and pain medication usually benefit from total hip replacement.

Total Elbow Replacement

Elbow joint replacement, also referred to as total elbow arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure to replace a painful elbow joint with artificial prosthesis. The objective of elbow joint replacement surgery is to eliminate pain and increase the mobility of the elbow joint. Some of the elbow conditions that can affect dogs or cats include osteoarthritis, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis, and osteochondritis dissecans. Symptoms of elbow pain include lameness, stiffness, restlessness and reluctance to exercise and play. Total elbow replacement surgery can help reduce pain and improve limb function in most dogs and cats.

Custom-made Individualized Implants

Custom-fitted total joint replacement is a newer more advanced technology in total joint replacement surgery that uses an individualized patient-specific joint implant for the replacement of all components of the joint. The difference with custom joint replacement from other joint replacement surgeries is the use of an MRI scan prior to the surgery to obtain a clear view of the shape and structure of the different components of the joint. The implants are then designed specifically to match the natural shape of the articulating surfaces of your pet’s joints based upon the MRI.

Prof Dr. Antonio Pozzi – veterinary specialist and surgent at the University of Zurich.

Prof. Dr. Pozzi is Head of the clinic for small animal surgery, University of Zurich. His team of specialists, surgeons, veterinariens are dedicated to the well being of dogs and cats.