Pet Orthopedic Consult & Surgery
At Heartland Animal Hospital, we understand the deep bond you share with your pet, and we are dedicated to providing top-notch orthopedic consultation and surgical services tailored to their unique needs. Our hospital offers a comfortable, nurturing environment where your pet’s well-being takes center stage.

Your Furry Friend Deserves the Best
Our team of compassionate and skilled veterinarians is dedicated to your pet’s comfort and has invested countless hours in continuing education and specialized training. We are proud to be at the forefront of orthopedic surgery, ensuring your pet receives the best care Faribault offers.
Our expertise covers various orthopedic procedures, from fracture repair to patellar luxation correction. No matter the issue your pet faces, you can trust that our experienced team will provide a solution to enhance your pet’s quality of life.
To guarantee that your pet receives the highest level of care, we’ve partnered with specialized outside orthopedic surgeons who regularly visit our clinic. We are honored to have Dr. Dane Tatarniuk, a renowned orthopedic surgeon, as a vital part of our team. His expertise in procedures like TTA or TPLO knee surgeries further ensures your pet’s orthopedic health is in the best hands.
TPLO/ TTA Knee Surgery for Your Dog
TTA and TPLO are revolutionary new surgeries to repair a torn dog ACL. The surgery is done just below the knee on the middle side, where there are fewer muscles and nerve endings, resulting in a faster return to the use of the leg.
Due to the bent-leg stature of most dogs, the ACL is under nearly constant strain. When it tears, the physical force of stepping on the leg causes a grinding motion as the femur slips down the tibial slope. Innovative veterinarians came up with the idea to flatten the hill to a near perpendicular angle and eliminate the slipping successfully. Although the surgery does involve cutting and moving a piece of bone, the return to function is more rapid, and fewer long-term complications are seen than any of the extra-capsular techniques in dogs over 60 pounds, including the “Tightrope” repair.
TPLO stands for Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy. It was developed by Dr. Barclay Slocum in the early 1990’s in Oregon. TPLO works by making a semi-circular cut in the tiba and rotating the piece backwards by a pre-determined amount so the tibial slope is perpendicular to the patellar tendon. The majority of dogs have a slope of 19- 23?. Goal of TPLO surgery is to reduce the slope to 5-15? degrees. Most dogs are weight bearing within a few days of discharge and are using the leg nearly normally within 8-10 weeks. See more information at: slocumenterprises.comstands for Tibial Tuberosity Advancement. TTA was developed in Switzerland by Dr. Slobodan Tepic in the late 1990s and has only been introduced here in the US for the last 4-5 years. TTA uses the same concept of leveling the tibial plateau about the dynamic force transfer through the patellar tendon.
Instead of rotating the bone to flatten the plateau like TPLO, a cut is made on the non-weight-bearing front part of the tibia, and the patellar tendon is advanced and plated as a wedge at a new perpendicular angle. Because the cut is made on the non-weight-bearing surface of the bone, recovery to walking and full use is 2-3 weeks faster than TPLO. Not every dog is a candidate for TTA, but it is the most common surgery we do for ACL repair in dogs over 60 pounds.
TPLO works by making a semi-circular cut in the tibia and rotating the piece backward by a pre-determined amount. Hence, the tibial slope is perpendicular to the patellar tendon. The majority of dogs have a pitch of 19- 23. TPLO surgery aims to reduce the incline to 5-15. Degrees. Most dogs are weight-bearing within a few days of discharge and use the leg nearly generally within 8-10 weeks. See more information at: slocumenterprises.com



SCHEDULING AN ORTHOPEDIC CONSULT AND SURGERY
“Orthopedic consults are scheduled on an as needed basis. A pre-operative consultation can be scheduled by calling the clinic with one of our veterinarians. Surgeries are scheduled with our specialist after the consultation. We make every attempt to accommodate your needs and will make sure your pet is treated like family
Pre-operative Surgery Instructions: You will be asked to provide proof of current vaccinations, copies of medical records, and a list of medications. Any radiographs taken by your Veterinarian may be helpful to review at the initial consult appointment. We require pre-surgical bloodwork and can do this in-house if not done ahead of time by your regular Veterinarian. We want all dogs off their NSAIDS, such as Rimadyl or Deramaxx, 1-2 days before surgery.