Surgeon not Board Certified?

[BonBon]

The surgeon that has been recommended to me for Chelsea's LP surgery is not board certified. He specialized in orthopedics for small dogs and has practiced in Tulsa for several years. My vet told me that this surgeon is the only one she would even consider using if it were her dog. Another vet in this same practice raises yorkies and is very knowledgable about them and he highly recommended the same surgeon. I called a couple of other vets I know and he's very highly respected BUT, this doctor is not board certified.

I have no idea what that means, 'board certified'. Do you think I need to look outside the Tulsa area for a board certified surgeon, or do you think the certification is even necessary? I just want the best for Chelsea!! Help!! Any input would be greatly appreciated!!

[Ellie May]

It's all in how you look at it.
Board certified really just means that they had more training and had to pass a test. It would be my first choice for Ellie. However, that doesn't mean that someone who is not certified isnt equally as good of a surgeon. A good start is to look hiim up on the internet for reviews. Have the people that see him been satisfied? Does he use good anesthetic protocol?

[BonBon]

Thank you, Crystal!!

[Jemma]

If you received positive reviews from more than one person than I would definitely go for it. Degrees and certif. are important. But I know many people who have degrees on their walls but are common sense stupid! Word of mouth always in the psitive is what I want. Besides this Vet may have performed more surgery on dogs than the certified. Therefore he would end up being the one with the most experience. Just my opinion

Carol and Jemma

[willow1]

Question if you needed a surgical procedure and your doctor and friends recommended someone that is not board certified would you go under with him? I know I wouldnt and I would not let anyone that is not certified near my little one because I love her that much and there is a reason why these doctors have to be board certified

[Nancy1999]

If I were looking for a doctor without any recommendations, I definitely would go with a board certified physician. You got four very good recommendations, not just from regular people, but from vets, I would think that would be enough for me to trust the surgeon. They always say you should do your homework when looking for a surgeon, but it sounds like you have. I mean would you rather see a board certified physician, that no one is recommending? I know board certification is especially important with plastic surgery because any surgeon can call themselves a "plastic surgeon" so having one that has training in a specialized area is smart, but with a doctor who specialized in orthopedics for small dogs, it sounds like he probably could easily pass the required certification.

[Jemma]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

If I were looking for a doctor without any recommendations, I definitely would go with a board certified physician. You got four very good recommendations, not just from regular people, but from vets, I would think that would be enough for me to trust the surgeon. They always say you should do your homework when looking for a surgeon, but it sounds like you have. I mean would you rather see a board certified physician, that no one is recommending? I know board certification is especially important with plastic surgery because any surgeon can call themselves a "plastic surgeon" so having one that has training in a specialized area is smart, but with a doctor who specialized in orthopedics for small dogs, it sounds like he probably could easily pass the required certification.

[PennysMum]

I used to work for a vet who had nearly 30 years of practical experience in orthopedic surgery and who had graduated top in his class from a renowned university. He was in a private small animal practice in a rural area, and we often had people driving from three states away-- straight past larger specialty practices on the way!-- to see him based on the recommendations of their doctors and friends. Surgery isn't just about the paperwork on the wall-- there's real knowledge and artistry involved in it too. That man performed surgeries with a kind of precision and elegance that really was a thing of beauty, and his patients really benefited from his experience. If you have a lot of knowledgeable people recommending a vet for a specific surgery, I wouldn't hestitate to look past board certification.

[BonBon]

I did more research yesterday for other doctors in the area who perform this procedure. No one came close to the recommendations this doctor received. He's also one of very few TPLO certified surgeons in this part of the country, so he has a great deal of training on the knee area. I guess all I can do is go with my instincts and they're leading me to him.

Thank you all so much! You brought up several good points that make me feel so much better with this decision!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by bonbon

I did more research yesterday for other doctors in the area who perform this procedure. No one came close to the recommendations this doctor received. He's also one of very few TPLO certified surgeons in this part of the country, so he has a great deal of training on the knee area. I guess all I can do is go with my instincts and they're leading me to him.

Thank you all so much! You brought up several good points that make me feel so much better with this decision!

I was reading a little about board certification, and it said that it just ensures you that they have passed "minimum" procedural knowledge. Lol, not exactly a glowing recommendation! Best of luck with the surgery!

[Hotel4Yorkies]

One of our Rescues had to have LP surgery and the surgeon was not board certified. Pierre's surgery went well. Pierre healed quickly and had no complications.

[jfalz73]

Oliver just had surgery on both back knees. The first surgeon we went to was not board certified and was highly recommended. We took oliver to be examined by him and although he said he could do the patella surgery, he could not do what is called "a tibial crest movement", and oliver needed that as shown in his xrays. So he recommended that we go to an orthopedic board certified specialist. That is who did the surgery. The first one said that without the tibial crest movement done on oliver, we might be looking at the same thing happening 4 or 5 years down the road. Oliver's legs were pretty bad... Good luck with yours!!

[Zanders' mom]

Originally Posted by jfalz73

Oliver just had surgery on both back knees. The first surgeon we went to was not board certified and was highly recommended. We took oliver to be examined by him and although he said he could do the patella surgery, he could not do what is called "a tibial crest movement", and oliver needed that as shown in his xrays. So he recommended that we go to an orthopedic board certified specialist. That is who did the surgery. The first one said that without the tibial crest movement done on oliver, we might be looking at the same thing happening 4 or 5 years down the road. Oliver's legs were pretty bad... Good luck with yours!!

It is always great to hear a vet, who knows his limits rather than attempt the surgery himself

[Zanders' mom]

It sounds like you did great research, I wish your puppy a great recovery.

Originally Posted by bonbon

I did more research yesterday for other doctors in the area who perform this procedure. No one came close to the recommendations this doctor received. He's also one of very few TPLO certified surgeons in this part of the country, so he has a great deal of training on the knee area. I guess all I can do is go with my instincts and they're leading me to him.

Thank you all so much! You brought up several good points that make me feel so much better with this decision!

[phfgkl]

Originally Posted by bonbon

The surgeon that has been recommended to me for Chelsea's LP surgery is not board certified. He specialized in orthopedics for small dogs and has practiced in Tulsa for several years. My vet told me that this surgeon is the only one she would even consider using if it were her dog. Another vet in this same practice raises yorkies and is very knowledgable about them and he highly recommended the same surgeon. I called a couple of other vets I know and he's very highly respected BUT, this doctor is not board certified.

I have no idea what that means, 'board certified'. Do you think I need to look outside the Tulsa area for a board certified surgeon, or do you think the certification is even necessary? I just want the best for Chelsea!! Help!! Any input would be greatly appreciated!!

I talked to a vet in California and she said to only use board certified for those surgeries. Heck, none of our vets in this area will even do the LP surgeries, yet my sister in KY, her vet does them, isn't certified, and she had to take her dog back 2 times already(surgery both times, same leg) and is having problems with it again.