Expertise

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective orthopedic treatment. Before recommending care, The Sams Clinic identifies the source of pain, lameness, dysfunction, or instability and how it affects the patient’s comfort, mobility, activity, and long-term function.

Evaluation is individualized around the patient’s history, prior diagnostics, response to treatment, clinical findings, owner observations, and referring veterinarian records. When additional information is needed, evaluation may include:

• Clinical evaluation: orthopedic examination, gait and movement assessment, range-of-motion evaluation, joint stability assessment, limb alignment assessment, objective gait or force-plate analysis when indicated, and neurologic screening when clinically appropriate
• Imaging: radiographs / X-rays, CT imaging, review of prior or outside imaging, and orthopedic imaging planning
• Laboratory testing: pre-procedure testing, infection or inflammatory workup, culture, cytology, synovial fluid analysis, or other case-specific diagnostics
• Procedural diagnostics: musculoskeletal ultrasound, arthroscopic or needle-scope joint evaluation, joint aspiration, bone biopsy, soft-tissue biopsy, or ultrasound-guided localization when clinically appropriate

Treatment planning is individualized around the diagnosis, disease severity, patient age and size, activity level, functional demands, recovery expectations, and short- and long-term goals. When options exist, our specialists discuss surgical, minimally invasive, non-surgical, or combined pathways so owners and referring veterinarians can make informed decisions.

Surgery is recommended when it offers the most appropriate path to restoring comfort, stability, mobility, function, or long-term orthopedic health. Recommendations are individualized around the diagnosis, disease severity, patient age and size, activity level, functional demands, recovery expectations, and long-term goals. Not every orthopedic condition requires surgery, and not every surgical condition requires the same procedure.

The Sams Clinic performs orthopedic procedures spanning joint stabilization, fracture repair, intra-articular disease, deformity correction, tendon and ligament reconstruction, revision surgery, and salvage procedures. Surgical planning emphasizes durable function while coordinating rehabilitation, sports medicine, orthobiologic therapy, and less-invasive techniques when clinically appropriate.

Representative surgical categories include:

• Joint stabilization: cruciate ligament stabilization including TPLO and other surgical approaches, patellar stabilization, collateral ligament reconstruction, shoulder stabilization, and related procedures
• Joint, cartilage & intra-articular surgery: treatment of shoulder, elbow, stifle, tarsal, cartilage, meniscal, ligament, synovial, and other intra-articular disorders when surgical intervention is indicated
• Fracture, trauma & reconstruction: fracture fixation, luxation management, orthopedic trauma surgery, articular fracture reconstruction, pelvic or scapular fracture repair, and complex reconstructive procedures
• Corrective surgery: corrective osteotomy, limb realignment, developmental orthopedic disease, angular limb deformity correction, and patient-specific surgical planning when indicated
• Tendon, ligament & soft-tissue reconstruction: Achilles tendon repair, superficial digital flexor tendon repair, periarticular soft-tissue repair, and related reconstructive procedures
• Revision & salvage surgery: management of failed orthopedic repair, postoperative complications, recurrent instability, unresolved lameness, implant complications, revision procedures, and selected salvage techniques

Every procedure is selected for the individual patient, expected recovery, long-term function, and quality of life.

Arthroscopic and minimally invasive treatment is used when advanced visualization or image-guided technique can help diagnose or treat an orthopedic condition with less disruption to surrounding tissue. At The Sams Clinic, minimally invasive care is one pathway within individualized orthopedic decision-making, not a separate philosophy from surgery, sports medicine, or rehabilitation.

Recommendations are based on the diagnosis, tissue involved, disease severity, patient size and activity level, functional goals, and whether a minimally invasive approach can provide the information or treatment needed. In some cases, minimally invasive care may be the primary treatment. In others, it may support surgical planning, reduce the need for open surgery, or integrate with orthobiologic therapy and rehabilitation.

Representative minimally invasive approaches include:

• Arthroscopy & needle-scope procedures: minimally invasive evaluation and treatment of shoulder, elbow, stifle, tarsal, cartilage, meniscal, ligament, synovial, and other intra-articular disorders
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound guidance: dynamic soft-tissue evaluation, image-guided localization, targeted injections, and treatment of tendons, ligaments, joints, and periarticular soft tissues
• Biologic and image-guided therapies: ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), adipose-derived cellular therapy, and related treatments when clinically appropriate
• Less-invasive orthopedic techniques: arthroscopic-assisted treatment, limited-access procedures, and other techniques used to reduce tissue disruption when appropriate

The goal is to select the least invasive medically appropriate pathway that can accurately address the patient’s condition while supporting durable comfort, mobility, recovery, and long-term function.

Orthopedic evaluation is appropriate when pain, lameness, instability, reduced mobility, or changes in movement suggest that a bone, joint, ligament, tendon, muscle, or load-bearing structure may be affected. Early specialist evaluation can help localize the problem, clarify treatment options, and reduce the risk of prolonged dysfunction or incomplete recovery.

Consider orthopedic evaluation if your pet is experiencing:

• Difficulty with daily function: trouble rising, lying down, sitting, climbing stairs, jumping, walking, getting into the car, or performing normal activities
• Lameness, stiffness or gait change: limping, uneven weight-bearing, altered stride, stiffness after rest or exercise, reduced endurance, or changes in movement quality
• Pain, swelling or structural change: sensitivity, joint enlargement, limb deformity, abnormal limb position, guarding, or visible physical change affecting a limb or joint
• Sudden injury or loss of function: trauma, suspected fracture, luxation, ligament injury, non-weight-bearing lameness, or rapid change in limb use
• Incomplete recovery: persistent symptoms, stalled progress, recurrent lameness, poor limb use, or limited improvement after previous treatment, surgery, or rehabilitation
• Growth or alignment concerns: lameness in a young or growing animal, abnormal limb position, progressive deformity, uneven weight-bearing, or suspected developmental orthopedic disease
• Sport, work or activity changes: reduced speed, power, endurance, confidence, jumping ability, turning ability, workload tolerance, or performance under training, sport, work, or active daily life

Orthopedic consultation is also appropriate when the diagnosis remains uncertain, treatment options are unclear, or owners and referring veterinarians want specialist guidance before major decisions about surgery, minimally invasive treatment, non-surgical care, or long-term management.

The Sams Clinic frequently receives cases with complex histories, unresolved clinical questions, or previous treatment that has not produced the expected result. Consultation is often sought when the diagnosis remains uncertain, recovery has stalled, performance has not returned, or surgery, rehabilitation, or prior treatment has failed to restore the desired outcome.

Common referrals include persistent lameness, recurrent injury, unresolved pain, suspected missed diagnoses, failed orthopedic repair, postoperative complications, revision surgery candidates, and patients requiring a second opinion before major treatment decisions.