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Joint Replacement Center at VCA ASG                

Joint Replacement for Pets

Dr. Kirk Wendelburg and VCA Animal Specialty Group have been leaders in canine joint replacements since the late 1980’s. Dr. Wendelburg’s achievements in joint replacements include the patenting and development of the BANC (biomechanically anatomic, non-constrained, compartmental) Elbow Replacement produced by Kyon and
the Lateral Bolt BFX Hip Replacement produced by BioMedtrix, as well as multiple publications and national/international lectures related to joint replacement. We now have long-term follow-up on thousands of cases in the USA and Europe. Both technologies have been extremely successful and may become the worldwide standard of care for canine joint replacement of the hip and elbow.

Hip Replacement in Dogs

The Biomedtrix Lateral Bolt and surgical technique was first introduced by Dr. Wendelburg in 2013. Since then, thousands of procedures have been successfully performed worldwide. It has virtually eliminated the typical subsidence fracture of the medial calcar that occurred with prior implant designs. Many experts around the world now consider the Lateral Bolt femoral stem to be the gold standard. Success at ASG has been approximately 97%.

After Hip Replacement

Elbow Replacement in Dogs

The Kyon elbow replacement has gone through 3 generations with significant improvements in implant design and surgical instrumentation. So far, success has been excellent with progressively better function with each generation. Dogs have returned to full function and have been able to discontinue the use of NSAIDs for their elbow lameness.

Before Elbow Replacement

After Elbow Replacement

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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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5

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.
Rating: 5