If an animal is in pain or experiencing a large accumulation of blood, abdominal surgery lets us explore the belly to find the cause.

Abdominal ultrasound can give us answers regarding a lump, fluid retention or internal bleeding. A linear incision is made in the skin and underlying tissues to allow us to open the abdominal cavity and expose the internal organs. The surgeon can sometimes locate and correct a problem at the same time. The wound is closed by stitching (suturing) the two sides together again. It sounds dramatic, but most cats and dogs recover quickly after this procedure.