Surgery

Experienced Pet Orthopedic Surgeon & Comprehensive Surgical Services:

Hearing that your pet needs surgery can be daunting and stressful. Here at Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists, our Surgery Team is here to guide you and your pet through the entire process, from your initial appointment to when your pet is healed and beyond. Our surgeon and skilled support staff, and at PSVS are here to provide you and your pet with exceptional, cutting edge, compassionate care, comprehensively guiding you through the surgical process. We believe in a collaborative approach, working seamlessly as a team both within our different specialties here at PSVS and with your family veterinarian to provide a full continuum of care.

Our surgeon, Dr. Weh, is board-certified in surgery, meaning she went through rigorous, advanced training in surgery after becoming a veterinarian to specialize in advanced surgical techniques. She has many years of experience providing the full range of advanced surgical procedures, including veterinary orthopedic surgery, soft tissue surgery, and minimally invasive surgery including laparoscopy and arthroscopy.

We are passionate about making surgery as least traumatic and comfortable as possible to make your pet’s recovery as easy as possible. Surgery can be invasive, but our surgeon and surgical team are passionate about pain management and provide minimally invasive alternatives (using small fiberoptic cameras and instruments to perform surgeries through small incisions) with some surgeries to minimize postoperative pain. We take pride in offering advanced multimodal pain control, utilizing different techniques such as nerve blocks and long-acting numbing agents to numb the surgical site.

Each pet and family is unique which encourages our surgeon to take an individualized approach to each patient. They will comprehensively discuss surgical and non-surgical options (if applicable) and work with you to determine the best option for you and your pet.

See the below list of common surgical procedures we provide at PSVS and check out the American College of Veterinary Surgeons here for a full list.

Orthopedic Surgery:

Cranial cruciate ligament stabilization (TPLO or lateral suture)
Arthroscopy
Patellar luxation repair (i.e. “slipped” or dislocating kneecap)
Trauma-related surgery (such as broken bones/fractures, joint/ligament/tendon injuries)
Femoral head and neck excision
Growth deformity surgery
Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia
Lameness evaluation
Medical management of back pain
Platelet Rich Plasma injections for arthritis

Soft Tissue Surgery:

Ear canal ablation
Amputation
Urogenital surgery (bladder stones, cystotomy, cystectomy)
Salivary mucocele
Gastrointestinal disease (foreign body, enterotomy, resection and anastomosis)
Rectal / Anal gland mass excision
Perineal urethrostomy
Splenectomy
Wound management and reconstruction
Prophylactic surgery: Laproscopic gastropexy
Maxillofacial/oral surgery, often in collaboration with our Dentist, Dr. Lindsey Schneider

Rest assured, if you choose PSVS for your pet’s surgery, they will be in the caring, skilled hands of our veterinary orthopedic surgeons during the entire process.

JENNIFER WEH, DVM, DACVS-SA

DIPLOMATE, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS

Jennifer Weh grew up in Michigan — rehabilitating wild animals and taming stray cats. She pursued a degree in English at Harvard Radcliffe College and held a rewarding job in book publishing in New York City before pursuing her calling as a veterinarian. In veterinary school at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Weh was drawn to the collaborative nature of multi-specialty care and to the rewarding nature of a helping career. After graduation, Dr. Weh jumped into an internship at the University of Pennsylvania. Her drive for excellence and her love of fixing and building things, led her to pursue specialization in surgery. Returning to Boston, she was a surgical resident at Tufts and Angell Animal Medical Center.

After residency, Dr. Weh moved to Seattle to join the first emergency and critical care practice in the area. She established a surgery service in the South Sound and grew it for many years before joining Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists.

Dr. Weh considers herself a true general surgeon. She has a particular interest in fracture repair and technical soft tissue surgery (oncologic, trauma and reconstructive surgery, thoracic surgery, and minimally invasive surgery). She enjoys the precision of elective orthopedics and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenge of emergency surgery cases.

The most rewarding aspect of being a veterinary surgeon for Dr. Weh is the daily opportunity to grow meaningful relationships. She values having a positive effect in people’s and pet’s lives through listening and tailoring solutions. She thrives in a collaborative space where each member of the surgery team is valued and invested in learning and doing their best. Caring for pets allows all of us access to people’s hearts, how we act both behind the scenes and with each other matters greatly.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Weh is often found on or near the Puget sound with her family. She is most alive anywhere in the wild with her two kids.