Surgery Services

Dr. Spodnick surgery

Our surgery team includes Dr. Gary Spodnick, a board-certified surgeon with over 30 years of experience, and Dr. Elizabeth Taylor. Dr. Taylor is boarded-certified in both large and small animal surgery and brings a broad surgical perspective to Wake Vet. We are capable of performing almost any surgery your pet would need. This includes orthopedic surgeries, thoracic surgeries, mass removals, and emergency abdominal surgeries. We also have a complete laparoscopic surgical system to allow us to perform many minimally invasive surgeries including gastropexies (stomach tacking), spays, and liver biopsies.

Soft Tissue Surgery
  • Cardiothoracic surgery for diseases of:
    • Chest wall
    • Diaphragm
    • Esophagus
    • Heart
    • Lungs
    • Trachea
  • Ear, nose, and throat surgery for:
    • Brachycephalic syndrome
    • Ear polyps
    • Laryngeal paralysis
    • Total Ear Canal Ablation
  • Endocrine surgery for:
    • Adrenal
    • Parathyroid glands
    • Thyroid
  • Hypospadias repair
  • Intrabdominal surgery for:
    • Abdominal wall hernias
    • Bladder
    • Gastrointestinal (colon, colorectal, esophagus, foreign body removal, gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV correction, GI neoplasia resection, intestines, and stomach)
    • Hepatobiliary (liver, gallbladder removal repair, or portosystemic shunt repair)
    • Kidney
    • Liver
    • Pancreas
    • Spleen
    • Urogenital (bladder, kidney, genital organs, ureters, and urethra)
  • Oronasal reconstruction
  • Tissue Grafting
    • Dermal
    • Gingival
    • Phalangeal Pads
  • Vulvaplasty
  • Wound Management
Orthopedic Surgery
  • Achilles tendon repair
  • Angular limb deformity
  • Complete orthopedic examinations for:
    • Gait Abnormalities
    • Lameness
    • Pain
  • Cruciate ligament rupture surgery including:
    • Extracapsular procedures
    • Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO)
  • Facial/cranial reconstruction
  • Femoral head ostectomy (FHO)
  • Fracture Repair
  • Hip dysplasia/Arthritis management
  • Joint arthrodesis
  • Joint luxation/dislocation repair
  • Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS)
  • Mandibulectomy
  • Modification/return to function from trauma repairs
  • Neurectomy
  • Partial maxillectomy
  • Patella dislocation repair
  • Platelet Rich Plasma treatment
  • Prosthetics molding and management
  • OCD/FCP/UAP repair
Oncologic Surgery
  • Abdominal tumor removal
  • Amputation
  • Feeding tube placement
  • Skin reconstruction after tumor removal
  • Staging reconstruction
  • Thoracic wall reconstruction
  • Tumor and extensive mass removals
    (abdominal, dermatological, endocrine, lung, mammary gland, perianal, peripheral nerve, rectal, spinal, thyroid, and more)
Laparoscopic Surgery
  • Minimally invasive surgeries using laparoscopy
  • Laparoscopic gastropexies
  • Laparoscopic liver biopsies
  • Laparoscopic spays
Dental Surgery
  • Fistula repair
  • Flaps
  • Grafts
  • Root canals
  • Vital pulpotomy

Ready to schedule your pet’s surgery?

Meet Our Surgeons

Dr. Spodnick

Dr. Gary Spodnick, DVM, DACVS

Dr. Gary Spodnick graduated from the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985 and went on to complete a surgical residency at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. He then came to NC and was an assistant professor at the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine from 1991-1996. In 1996 Dr. Spodnick became one of the three founding veterinarians of the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas and was part of the surgical team there for over 20 years. In late 2019 Dr. Spodnick joined Wake Veterinary Medical Center as the chief of surgery where he continues to perform all surgeries and mentor several staff veterinarians.

His surgical interests include oncologic, reconstructive, and plastic surgery, oral surgery, and fracture repair. Outside of work, Dr. Spodnick enjoys woodworking and boat building/restoration (kayaks and old canoes). As a one-time forestry major in college, Dr. Spodnick, with his wife, Julie, continue to be interested in the environment and trees – they have planted and are managing a longleaf pine forest stand of about 4,000 trees, the tree for which North Carolina takes its moniker as the “Tarheel” state.

Dr. Spodnick

Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, DVM, MS, DACVS

Boarded-certified in both large and small animal surgery, Dr. Taylor brings broad surgical perspective to Wake Vet. Dr. Taylor, originally from California, obtained her veterinary degree from UC Davis. Following an internship in Florida, Dr. Taylor attended Kansas State University CVM for her large animal surgical residency.

After working several years as an equine surgeon, Dr. Taylor obtained her small animal surgery board certification in NC.

Dr. Taylor loves to play soccer almost as much as she loves her French Bulldog, Boris. Dr. Taylor and her husband spend their free time together (with Boris) at the beach.

Wake Veterinary Medical Center

Knightdale, NC 27545
Phone: (919) 266-9852
Fax: (919) 217-0314
Email: [email protected]

OPEN 24 HOURS EVERY DAY

For after hours emergencies, please call (919) 266-9852.