Pet Soft Tissue Surgery
We offer surgery of the skin, throat, ear, etc.

Soft tissue surgery is a large subject, as it includes any surgery that is not orthopedic.
Various operations are performed in the field of plastic surgery, including skin mass removal and complex operations. Dr. Phil Zeltzman has over two decades of expertise in all types of soft tissue surgery.
Belly Surgery
Dr. Zeltzman performs a prophylactic gastropexy operation, which is designed to prevent GDV (gastropexy) in dogs at risk for it. The surgery fastens the stomach to the inside of the belly, preventing it from turning and risking the pet’s life.
Bladder & Urinary Surgery
Laryngeal Paralysis
Mass Removal
Ear Surgery
Other soft-tissue procedures Dr. Zeltzman can help with include:
General Procedures
- Abdominal surgery
- Abdominal port placement for chronic effusions
- Adrenal gland removal
- Bladder (stone removal, masses)
- Colon surgery
- Cryptorchidism
- Diaphragmatic hernia
- Ectopic ureter
- Exploratory laparotomy
- Gallbladder (removal vs. re-routing)
- Hemoabdomen (internal bleeding)
- Incontinence treatment
- Intestinal obstruction (foreign bodies)
- Intestinal surgery
- Kidney surgery
- Liver biopsy, including “keyhole” liver biopsy
- Liver surgery
- Megacolon
- Pancreas surgery
- Pleuro-Peritoneal Diaphragmatic Hernia (PPDH)
- Prophylactic gastropexy (“twisted stomach” or bloat or GDV prevention)
- Prostate surgery
- Spleen removal (splenectomy, bleeding masses)
- Stomach surgery (foreign bodies)
- Urethra surgery
- Uterus infection (pyometra)
Head & Neck Surgery
- Cheiloplasty (for excessive drooling)
- Cleft palate
- Ear and throat polyps in cats
- Ear hematoma
- Elongated soft palate
- Everted laryngeal saccules
- Eye and eyelid surgery
- Facial fold removal
- Laryngeal paralysis (“Tieback”)
- Lateral Bulla Osteotomy (LBO)
- Oro-nasal fistula
- Para-thyroid gland removal
- Salivary gland surgery (mucocele, sialocele)
- Stenotic nares (narrow nostrils)
- Thyroid gland removal (cat or dog)
- Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA)
- Ventral Bulla Osteotomy (VBO)
Reconstructive Surgery
- Open wound management (trauma)
- Skin flaps
- Skin grafts
- Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) of open wounds
THORACIC SURGERY (THORACOTOMY)
- Chylothorax
- Esophagus surgery
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
- Persistent Right Aortic Arch (PRAA)
- Pleural port placement for fluid buildup
- Lung surgery, including “keyhole” lung biopsy
- Pyothorax
"Back end" Surgery
- Anal sac surgery
- “Corkscrew” tail removal
- Perianal fistula management
- Perineal hernia
- Prepubic urethrostomy (P/U salvage or revision, urethral tear or stenosis)
- Urethrostomy (perineal or P/U in cats, scrotal in dogs)
- Redundant vulvar fold (vulvoplasty, episioplasty)
- Scrotal ablation
Emergency Surgery
- Blocked urethra (cat or dog)
- C-section
- Foreign bodies
- Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV)
- Hemoabdomen
- Pneumothorax
- Pyometra
- Spleen removal (splenectomy)