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Specialist Orthopaedic Surgery
World-Class Care. Dedicated Focus. Superior Outcomes in Sydney.
At VSOS (Veterinary Specialists of Sydney), we believe that true excellence requires focus. Unlike many veterinary surgeons who split their time between disciplines, our Orthopaedic specialist team is completely focused. This level of specialisation ensures your pet is treated by a surgeon who deals with complex bone and joint issues every single day.
However, expert surgery is just one part of the picture. As an integrated, independent hospital, we provide dedicated round-the-clock care based on a simple philosophy: we treat the patient, not just the X-rays.
Combined with leading-edge facilities designed to human orthopaedic standards and a multidisciplinary team of anaesthetists, nurses and other specialists, we are uniquely positioned at the forefront of modern veterinary medicine - from complex fracture repairs to pioneering limb-sparing techniques.
Explore Conditions
Through the dedication of our specialist orthopaedic clinicians and extended patient care team, we can treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Some of these are performed routinely, while others require bespoke, high-level intervention.
Our clinic is equipped with a full suite of diagnostic tools, including Digital X-ray, CT, MRI, Fluoroscopy, and Arthroscopy. This allows us to diagnose a wide range of conditions with absolute precision.
Accidents happen, and when they do, your pet deserves the best care. If your dog or cat has suffered a broken bone or joint injury, we’re here to help. We provide advanced orthopedic surgery for pets, ensuring the best possible outcome for your furry friend.
Fracture Repair We treat fractures of major bones using techniques tailored to each patient’s needs:
Special Care for Small Breeds: Tiny bones need special attention. We use micro-implants and delicate handling for toy breeds and very small patients.
Speciality plates: For some fractures, we use 3d printed anatomic locking plates designed for your pet’s anatomy. The plates optimise screw placement to maximise bone holding and minimise the risk of joint damage.
Cats are not small dogs: they require unique techniques for safe, effective fracture repair.
- Internal Fixation: Locking plates and screws provide strong, stable support for most fractures. In some cases, pins and wires may also be used.
- External Skeletal Fixation (ESF): For certain injuries, we use external metal frames to protect the bone or joint while it heals.
- Minimally Invasive fracture repair: Whenever possible, we use "keyhole" techniques and live x-ray imaging (fluoroscopy) during surgery. This approach preserves the blood supply, speeds up healing, and reduces post-operative pain and swelling
- Joint (articular) Fractures When a fracture involves a joint, precision is everything. We carefully realign the joint surface to restore normal movement and lower the risk of arthritis later in life.
Dislocated joints can be painful and limit mobility. We manage traumatic joint injuries with advanced surgical and non-surgical options:
Closed Reduction: Gently repositioning and stabilising the joint without surgery when possible.
Surgical Repair: For more severe cases, open surgery may be required to reduce the joint and provide additional internal stabilisation
Joint Disease Management
We offer comprehensive solutions for the most common causes of lameness in dogs.
Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease: The most common knee injury in dogs. We routinely perform Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) to stabilise the knee and return dogs to full activity. Studies have shown that dogs are more likely to fully recover after TPLO than after other surgeries for cruciate problems.
Patellar Luxation: Surgical correction for "kneecap dislocation," whether medial (inner) or lateral (outer), to prevent cartilage wear and pain.
Elbow Dysplasia: We offer a full spectrum of care, from arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) to Canine Unicompartmental Elbow (CUE) replacement for dogs with more severe medial compartment syndrome.
Humeral Intracondylar Fissure (HIF): Specialist management of stress fractures in the elbow (often seen in Spaniels).
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD): Treatment for cartilage defects in the shoulder, elbow, knee, or hock. Techniques can include arthroscopic debridement, partial joint resurfacing, off-loading osteotomies or arthrodesis (fusion).
We see many young dogs (5-12 months old) presenting with hip pain due to joint laxity. In many of these cases, with appropriate management strategies, the issue may resolve with age as scar tissue stabilises the joint.
We believe in honest, expert assessment; we will guide you through conservative management first. However, if pain persists, we are one of the few centres in Sydney offering Total Hip Replacement.
A diagnosis of bone cancer (Osteosarcoma) traditionally meant amputation. At VSOS, we offer an advanced alternative.
- Endoprosthesis Replacement: We can remove the tumour and replace the affected bone with a custom 3D-printed metal implant. This allows us to save the leg while removing the cancer.
Some dogs develop angular limb deformities as they grow, leading to curved or twisted legs that cause pain and arthritis.
3D Surgical Planning: We use CT scans to create 3D-printed surgical guides. These guides allow us to cut the bone (osteotomy) at the exact angle required to straighten the limb perfectly. Allows virtual surgical planning and the design and creation of 3D-printed, patient-specific surgical guide systems and drill guides. Patient-specific surgical guide systems are designed using 3D data derived from CT. Once imported into CAD software, virtual 3D bone models are created and can be used to plan surgical interventions, including deformity corrections, vertebral stabilisations and complex fracture alignments. Guides permit translation of planned osteotomy orientations, drill hole trajectories, and optimal angular corrections to the patient in the theatre.
Clinical benefits include consistent, accurate surgical outcomes, reduced surgical time, and the ability to place implants into narrow safe corridors.
When a joint is too damaged to be saved or replaced, fusion is a powerful option to eliminate pain while maintaining limb use. We perform arthrodesis for the:
Carpus (Wrist)
Tarsus (Hock/Ankle)
Shoulder
Stifle (Knee)
At VSOS, we don’t just repair fractures, we optimise biological healing. For complex cases, non-unions, or high-risk patients, our surgeons utilise advanced Bone Grafts and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP).
BMP is a cutting-edge, osteoinductive protein that 'signals' the body’s own stem cells to transform into new bone. By combining these biological scaffolds with rigid internal fixation, we achieve:
Accelerated Bone Union: Faster bridging of fracture gaps and more robust healing at the surgical site.
Quicker Recovery: Patients often return to weight-bearing sooner, reducing the physiological stress of long-term immobilisation.
Reduced Bandaging Time: Enhanced biological stability often allows for shorter casting or heavy bandaging periods, improving patient comfort and reducing the risk of 'bandage sores' or joint stiffness.
Why Choose VSOS for Orthopaedics?
Surgeons do not work in isolation. We chose to build the VSOS hospital to support a truly multidisciplinary approach, ensuring the safest possible environment for your pet.
Advanced Anaesthesia & Pain Management.
This is our critical difference. Your pet is cared for by a Specialist Anaesthetist.
Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Blocks: Just like in human hospitals, our anaesthetists perform advanced local nerve blocks. This numbs the surgical site completely for many hours.
The Benefit: Your dog wakes up comfortable, not groggy from heavy systemic morphine. This leads to a smoother recovery and a faster return to eating and drinking.
A Multidisciplinary Safety Net.
Orthopaedic patients sometimes have other health issues, our full specialist team are on hand. For example:
Cardiology: If your older dog has a heart murmur, our Specialist Cardiologists can assess them pre-surgery to ensure they are safe for anaesthesia.
Internal Medicine & Neurology: If the diagnosis is unclear (e.g., is this a limp or a nerve issue), our Neurologists are down the hall to consult immediately.
State-of-the-Art Facilities: Purpose-Built for Safety
In orthopaedic surgery, infection is the enemy. A deep bone infection can be catastrophic, which is why the VSOS hospital was designed from scratch to meet human orthopaedic theatre standards.
Our spacious surgical suites utilise positive-pressure airflow and strict sterility protocols to minimise risk. But safety is just the baseline; we also demand precision. We utilise on-site CT, Fluoroscopy, and high-definition Arthroscopy to plan every procedure with sub-millimetre accuracy.
Meet Our Lead Orthopaedic Specialist
Dr Rob Adams
BVM&S, DipECVS, MRCVS | European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Dr Rob Adams brings a wealth of international experience to Sydney. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, he spent 10 years at Davies Veterinary Specialists, one of the largest private referral hospitals in the UK, where he completed his internship and residency.
Following this, Rob helped establish Northern Ireland Veterinary Specialists (NIVS) as Co-Clinical Director, before serving as Head of Orthopaedics at Paragon Referrals in Yorkshire for three years.
For the last 8 years, Rob has dedicated his practice solely to Orthopaedics. He has extensive experience in Total Hip Replacement, arthroscopy, and complex fracture management. He is passionate about providing personal, professional service and offering competitive, fixed-price packages to make specialist care accessible.
Expert Advice for Complex Cases.
Whether it is a sudden fracture or a long-term limp, we are here to help you find the right path for your pet.
