Canine Elbow Replacement

Is your dog suffering from elbow pain and lameness? Your furry family member could have elbow dysplasia, which can cause them a great deal of pain and discomfort. Luckily, the canine joint replacement experts at VCA Animal Specialty Group can help with advanced surgical methods.

Canine Elbow Dysplasia? Not a Problem Anymore!

The Kyon Elbow Replacement System has seen three generations of enhancements, resulting in significant improvements in implant design and surgical tools. With over twenty clinical cases performed in the United States and Europe, the results have been promising. Dogs have returned to full function and discontinued the use of NSAIDs for their elbow lameness. To learn more about how your patients can benefit from elbow replacement surgery, please contact one of our specialists.

New Technology, New Opportunities

At VCA Animal Specialty Group, we are dedicated to developing state-of-the-art medical and surgical advancements. We are proud to offer a revolutionary elbow replacement system developed by Dr. Kirk Wendelburg, which is transforming canine joint replacement.

From Referral to Recovery

The Canine Joint Center at VCA Animal Specialty Group operates as an extension of primary care veterinary practices, offering referring veterinarians access to advanced, cutting-edge resources. We ensure timely information sharing and foster collaboration between the patient, their primary veterinarian, and ASG’s team of veterinary surgeons and technicians.

Before Elbow Replacement

After Elbow Replacement

This procedure provides relief to dogs suffering from osteoarthritis secondary to elbow dysplasia, including fragmented medial coronoid process, joint incongruency, ununited anconeal process, and OCD.

Successful Elbow Replacement Clinical Trials Continue at ASG

Together with Kyon Veterinary Surgical Products, VCA Animal Specialty Group is continuing the elbow replacement clinical trial. The Kyon Elbow Replacement System has been clinically evaluated since 2011. Over twenty clinical cases have been completed in both Europe and the USA. The initial success has been tremendous. Patients have returned to full function without the need for NSAIDs. Follow-ups have gone beyond three years in some patients.

We believe this technique and prosthesis will prove to be superior to any previously designed elbow replacement system and will become an accepted standard in veterinary surgery around the world. Our goal is to not only end the pain and lameness associated with canine elbow dysplasia, but to return our patients back to athletic function. The only way to truly see the results of an elbow replacement is to watch the videos of patients before and after surgery.

Patients in the Clinical Trial Will Receive 50% off Standard Fees

Included in the discount are the elbow replacement surgery and implants, the pre-operative evaluation, elbow CT, and arthroscopy, along with future kinematic studies or videography. Postoperative radiographic evaluations will also be performed at 50% of the standard fees for a period of 1 year post-operatively.

Need a Consult? Contact us Today to Get Started!

Testimonials

Have been coming here with my Shepherd to see Dr. Wendelburg to keep an eye on my dogs hips & back for about a year now.. Dr. Wendelburg has been wonderful with my dog & everyone here is super nice & always professional. Today she is having a pre-op check up for some surgery on Thursday .. A follow up review after the surgery to come!

Laura A.

Dr Wendelburg and his team are amazing! My 165lbs mastiff’s TPLO surgery was a success. My dog actually loves them and is comfortable going there, it made rechecks easy. The Dr and his team always kept me informed and made me feel comfortable. My dog now has his life and mobility back thanks to Dr Wendelburg and his amazing team.

Melissa R.

My golden gal had both hips replaced by Dr Wendelburg when she was 11 months old and then a year and a half. She’s now two, running jumping swimming pain free and happy as ever. I couldn’t ever imagine going anywhere else or anyone else doing her surgery, he’s an amazing person and doctor and the staff there is amazing! They have become family and I’ll be forever grateful for them! This place is beyond awesome, we’ve also taken our other golden for an emergency about her paw at night and they were amazing. HIGHLY recommend

Nikki S.

I can’t say enough good things about the doctors and the staff. They cared for our baby cat so much and showed him so much love and affection I haven’t ever seen at other vets. They were patient with us when we were panicking and emotional wrecks, worried sick about our baby and they were highly attentive and thorough with us. The surgeon Dr. Wendelburg is one of the best in his field and was able to save our cat’s leg by beautifully reconstructing it despite serious fractures. The work they performed was world class. When we had tough times with our cats health they were so thoughtful and caring. We know their warmth and affection toward our cat helped with his recovery and at the very least made his experience there comfortable and even enjoyable! He got lots of love from the entire staff and they really cared about him. They are wonderful. We have paid high prices at other vets that did not have a nice attitude and were not attentive or caring toward our pets and didn’t do excellent work like they do at VCA. I honestly cant say if their fees are higher than others but I can say I have total confidence in their ability to care for and do everything they can for your pet.

JP P.

This review is for Dr. Kirk Wendelburg, two female doctors that were assisting the examination (I’m sorry I couldn’t get your names), and all the staffs at ASG.

I have an appointment booked and waited for about 25 minutes before being seen, which is pretty decent based on my past experience at other vets, especially when you request for a specialist. The waiting area is spacious, clean, and even offers free drinks!

Dr. Wendelburg and the team were amazing. He was extremely kind to my pup, Suki, comforting her the whole process, as she was in pain and it’s not easy to hold her. Then, he thoroughly and patiently explained her potential diagnosis, demonstrated it with a bone sample so a layperson like me can comprehend the condition, and discussed my treatment options. He is so knowledgeable that I’m so glad to find an expert I can trust.

The staffs provided me with an estimate range for the surgery, broken down item by item. I will be scheduling for her surgery soon and update the review with the outcome.

All I can say is, I’m glad they are located in LA, otherwise I must have had to travel to help my pup.

Kimmy M.

When our regular veterinarian diagnosed Gibbs with hip dysplasia, we did our homework and found that ASG’s Dr. Kirk Wendelburg was among the top veterinary orthopedists in the country. How lucky we are! We obtained a referral from our vet, and brought Gibbs in for a consultation. Confirming the diagnosis, Dr. Wendelburg determined that Gibbs was a good candidate for hip replacement. The first hip was replaced last year in August, and the second hip in November. Gibbs is now fully recovered and stronger than ever! He runs, jumps, and has more energy than before the new hips. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome!

The entire team we worked with, from the doc to the nurses to the front desk team, were fabulous. Warm, caring, and good people. I can’t say enough good things about ASG!

Nannette P.

Our German Shepherd Khaleesi was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia, and we’ve just past the anniversary of the first of her two total hip replacements. She is now fully recovered and loves running around the dog park with her pals. She has a new lease on life and we couldn’t be happier.

We were originally referred to a specialist in Orange County (where we live), but decided to get a second opinion, and we are so happy that we did some more research to find Dr. Wendelburg. He’s one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the county, and I felt like he took the time to answer all of our questions thoroughly.

Hip replacements are not cheap, and unfortunately most insurance plans don’t cover them. However, having visited two specialists, I can say that ASG quoted us a better rate than the other specialist’s office. If you have a large breed dog and find an insurance plan that covers hip dysplasia, buy it immediately! Otherwise, just know that hip replacements do cost money, but ASG’s rates are no higher than any other specialists in the area.

The highest endorsement comes from our dog herself, who after two surgeries and several follow-up x-rays still wags her tail every time she sees her favorite surgery techs. You would expect her to be terrified of the place, but she’s always happy to see her old friends!

Having to be referred to a veterinary specialist is no fun; we all love our pets and hearing that something is wrong is the worst feeling ever. However, we’ve felt that our dog was in the best hands at ASG.

Rachel F.

We are crazy pet parents and when our dog tore her ACL at 1yo we did a lot of research for the right surgeon. We personally know 2 other people who have had Dr Wendelburg repair their dog’s ACL. One of my friends is an orthopedic surgeon who also heavily researched different surgeons and decided on Dr Wendelburg.

Dr Wendelburg also works with a residency program and the zoo and is up to date on the appropriate treatments. When we met with him he gave us his recommendation and answered all of our questions. We were completely satisfied with him as a surgeon. We were also very happy with the care our dog received from the staff.

Sadly, our dog needed another surgery for a torn ACL on the other side at 2yo. But luckily we didn’t have to do any research and went back to Dr Wendelburg and ASG. If you follow their recommendations and allow your pet to heal they will recover appropriately as ours did.

Melissa G.