Board certified surgeon or DACVS-SA
What is board certified surgeon or a Diplomate of the American College
of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS)?
A board-certified surgeon or Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary
Surgeons has completed the rigorous training and testing required by the
American College of Veterinary Surgeons. This involves the completion of a
rotating internship (1 yr), a 3-yr residency program (a large number of
surgical cases approved by the ACVS must be performed) and certification is
achieved following successful completion of a 2-day examination.
Diplomates of the ACVS have extensive surgical experience and are well versed
in pre and postoperative evaluation and management of surgical patients.
RVT VTS (anes) and AVTAA
Requirements to become a member of the Academy of Veterinary
Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia (AVTAA):
- Registered veterinary technician
- Minimum of 4500 hours of anesthesia
- Mastering advanced anesthesia skills outlined by AVTAA
- Case log of 50-60 cases that they anesthetized.
- Four case reports must be submitted that demonstrate a high level of
anesthesia skill and knowledge. - 40 hours of relevant CE are required in the 5 years prior to application.
- The AVTAA examination is held each year at the IVECCS conference and
it is written following acceptance of the application. - To maintain status: every 5 years 50 hours of CE must be completed or
the exam is repeated.
Your Pet’s surgical consultation
- Dr. Swayne will meet with you and your pet to evaluate all aspects of your
pet’s medical history and perform a thorough physical examination.
She will evaluate any diagnostic testing that has already been performed
and provide recommendations for further diagnostics and formulate a plan.
Dr. Swayne will work with you and your veterinarian to determine the best
treatment option for your pet.
The consultation can be scheduled at your family veterinary practice or at BVERH.
- Radiographs performed by your veterinarian can be sent to Dr. Swayne for
evaluation prior to your consultation. - Additional radiographs may be recommended at the time of the consultation,
depending on the nature of the condition and progression of radiographic
signs. This will be discussed with Dr. Swayne. - Dr. Swayne performs a wide variety of orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries.
A list of the surgical procedures commonly performed by GHVS is found on the
Surgical Referrals page under Surgical Services.
Anesthesia and Analgesia
Anesthesia and pain management considerations:
- Preoperative bloodwork, historical concerns, abnormalities noted on physical
examination and diagnostic imaging findings will be taken into consideration
when formulating the optimal anesthetic plan for your pet. - Jenny Gibbons RVT, VTS Anesthesia, works with Dr. Swayne and together
they will ensure that the anesthesia for your pet’s procedure is as safe as possible. - Anesthesia is monitored and tracked closely throughout the procedure with
state of the art technology. Our monitoring equipment allows us to track your
pet’s heart rate (ECG), blood pressure, oxygen saturation (pulse oximetry) and
carbon dioxide expiration (capnography). - Analgesia (pain management) is critical to your pet’s positive experience and
recovery from surgery. We will optimize multiple modalities to ensure your pet
has a pain-free experience and smooth recovery from surgery. Jenny performs
various types of local anesthesia techniques including epidurals.
Postoperative care
- Your family veterinarian will be involved in the postoperative re-examination
of your pet. This will be outlined in the discharge instructions provided by
GHVS. Your primary care veterinarian is welcome and encouraged to send
progress reports and recheck radiographs to Dr. Swayne and she will help
your veterinarian with the treatment plan. - Rehabilitation is an essential aspect of the recovery of a pet from orthopedic
surgery. Recommendations as to where this can be performed will
also be provided.