Here at Santaluz Animal Care, we pride ourselves in staying on the cutting edge of veterinary medicine. One of the many high-tech options that we are happy to offer is freeze pen cryo surgery. This quick and effective treatment is a wonderful way to deal with many medical issues our furry patients may develop, such as warts and tumors. A Rancho Santa Fe, CA vet offers some information on this below.

History

The word cryosurgery comes from the Greek word ‘Cryo’, which means ‘Ice cold’, and the word ‘Surgery.’ As the name suggests, freeze pens look very much like regular pens. The concept and technology behind cryo surgery is based on the fact that our bodies are mostly water. The offending tissues are frozen, usually with liquid nitrogen. The process kills the cells within, effectively stopping malignant growths, such as tumors, in their tracks. Ask your vet for more information.

Uses

Freeze pen cryo surgery offers some wonderful and unique benefits. It won’t damage healthy skin, is very cost effective, and can be used to treat a wide variety of issues. Some of these include ear tumors, eyelid tumors, cysts, and warts, to name just a few. It is also often used to treat distichiae, or extra eyelashes, which is a problem we sometimes see in dogs. This may not sound like a big problem, but they are quite uncomfortable, and can actually damage Fido’s corneas.

Aftercare

What happens after treatment? Once the tissue has been frozen, it will die and fall off. (It may not look pretty during this process, but that’s normal.) Your furry buddy should not experience discomfort, though you may need to bathe them to remove the dead tissue. Your vet will give you specific aftercare instructions, which will vary a bit depending on the issue being treated. Be sure to follow these to the letter!

Sessions

One question people often have with treatment options is how many sessions will be needed. This ultimately depends on the pet and the issue being treated. For something quite small, like a wart or little tumor, one session may do the trick. Other conditions may need multiple treatments. Your vet will be able to offer specific information once your furry buddy has been properly diagnosed. Do you want to learn more about freeze pen cryo surgery? Reach out to our Rancho Santa Fe, CA vet clinic today to schedule an appointment for your furry friend!