Frequently Asked Questions
Think you’re ready to book an appointment? Or still looking for some more information? We’ve got you covered with our commonly asked questions below.
Dr. Murtha: No, I am not board certified. When I graduated from Tufts veterinary medical school in 1985, there was but a handful of board-certified veterinary surgeons in the country, and it is my understanding that most of them were in academia. Back then, the veterinary profession wasn’t so sub-specialized, and had to learn everything in real-time (hence why I have the skillset to practice both general wellness and advanced surgery). Nowadays, the path to board certification typically occurs immediately following graduation. So, simply put, it’s something very few people did back then when I was in school.
Prior to attending Tufts, I was in research at Harvard Medical School and intended to return there once I had my veterinary degree. However, once I reached my clinical years at Tufts, I realized that I found healing far more rewarding than research, and, in particular, I discovered surgery was my passion. I was also busy raising a family, and my obligations to my children were far more important to me. As devoted as I was (and still am) to my career, I refused to be an absent father. I have not endeavored to do so simply because I’m already exceedingly busy doing surgery in my own private practice and I can see my retirement on the horizon.
Board certification does not necessarily equate to being a good surgeon. I’m certain there are many board-certified surgeons who do not have my skillset, my hands, my natural abilities, nor my proven track record. Certificates on the wall do not find innovative solutions; people do. One only has to look as far as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, the Wright Brothers, or go back through history and see the thousands of innovators who, like these pioneers, never had a college education.
Dr. Murtha: I am presently the only person who does this. In the very near future, there will be more (other doctors are currently being trained). Like TPLO, there was an initial period prior to being patented that there was essentially only one veterinarian doing it (the one who created it). We currently have a patent application pending.
The simple fact is that I had many other priorities in my life. I was getting great results with this procedure over the last 36 years, but my priority was family, raising my children, and I felt no obligation to bring this procedure to the forefront. I was content to do it just for my own clients who came to me with torn CCLs. Over the last 10 years, though, it has become evident that the TPLO procedure has many issues and complications associated with it. Knowing that we consistently get outstanding results, I began to feel an obligation as a doctor and a surgeon to bring this to the forefront as a viable alternative to TPLO and TTA surgeries.
Dr. Murtha: It takes time. A long time. Again, we have a patent application pending. Just three years ago, we started conducting our own internal research study utilizing postoperative surveys taken at various stages of the recovery process. We presently have over 600 patients with fully completed surveys and are waiting until we reach 1,000 before conducting clinical studies at a university.
The TPLO procedure was patented nearly 30 years ago in the early 90’s. If these same questions were asked of the individual who devised the procedure in the years preceding, they would have had to answer the same way I am answering now. In fact, they essentially did: “The growth of the TPLO as a procedure was rather slow… The leap was particularly difficult in the early years, prior to peer group approval.”
Dr. Murtha: It is simply a business’s safety net. Similar to other types of businesses that require a credit card to “hold” an appointment and/or have a cancellation fee, they do it because it’s incredibly costly for the business if they lose the slot. At the end of the day, we are a business like any other that has overhead costs (payroll, utilities, etc.).
Our procedure is in high demand and it hurts us if there’s a no-show or last-minute cancellation when there’s not enough notice to offer to someone else patiently waiting. The deposit not only secures that date for the client, but protects our hospital and team. In fact, a recent study has revealed an increase in veterinary no-shows since the pandemic began. However, we are not unreasonable and are always willing to work with our clients if an emergency arises.
Dr. Murtha: It’s a classic supply vs demand scenario. There is a severe shortage of veterinarians in this country. This was the case pre-pandemic, but quarantine resulting in a lot of new pet ownership hasn’t helped. And, as I mentioned earlier, right now it’s just me doing this procedure. We do our absolute best to stay within 4 weeks booking out, and this is an acceptable time to wait.
Most other clinics are experiencing the same, sometimes far longer waits for getting in for just a wellness exam. I understand your concern is, of course, your pet’s comfort and mobility, but rest assured we will work with you on a pre-op protocol to ensure their quality of life is stable while their surgery date approaches.
For payment options, we accept cash or debit/credit card. For payment plans, our hospital accepts CareCredit with a 6-month interest-free plan. You can apply quickly and conveniently online to see if you qualify. We also work with most pet insurance plans. If you have pet insurance, you can talk with our team during your consultation to discuss this further.