Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care Introduce
Introduction / Overview
For pet parents across North Carolina, the thought of their beloved companion needing surgery can be daunting. When specialized surgical care is required, knowing where to turn for expert, compassionate, and highly skilled treatment is paramount. In Cornelius, NC, Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care stands as a beacon of excellence in advanced veterinary surgery. This facility is not a general practice clinic; rather, it is a dedicated surgical center focused on providing specialized procedures, particularly orthopedic surgeries like TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) for canine cruciate ligament tears, and other complex soft tissue operations. Led by highly experienced veterinary surgeons such as Dr. Benitez, the team at Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care is committed to delivering exceptional surgical outcomes and unparalleled post-operative support. They understand the anxiety that comes with a pet needing surgery and prioritize clear communication, thorough explanations, and a patient-centered approach that treats every animal as if it were their own. Their dedication to staying at the forefront of surgical techniques and pain management ensures that your furry family member receives the most advanced and comfortable care possible. For locals in the North Carolina region, Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care offers a much-needed specialized resource, providing peace of mind when their pets require intricate surgical interventions to regain their mobility and quality of life.
Location and Accessibility
Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care is conveniently located with its mailing address at Box 2473, Cornelius, NC 28031, USA. While a PO Box is listed for mail, their physical operational presence is firmly rooted within the Cornelius area, making them highly accessible for pet owners throughout Mecklenburg County and the greater Lake Norman region. Cornelius, known for its strategic position, allows for relatively easy travel from surrounding communities such as Huntersville, Davidson, Mooresville, and even parts of Charlotte. When considering a specialized surgical center, accessibility is key, especially given that pets requiring surgery often need careful transportation. While the specific physical address for client visits might be provided upon consultation, their base in Cornelius ensures that pet owners in North Carolina have a local, high-caliber surgical option without having to travel excessive distances. Parking facilities are typically ample in commercial areas within Cornelius, ensuring a smooth and less stressful arrival for both you and your pet. The ease of access helps in reducing the overall stress associated with veterinary visits, particularly for those requiring specialized care that might involve multiple follow-up appointments. Their central location solidifies their role as a vital resource for specialized pet surgical needs in the heart of North Carolina.
Services Offered
- Orthopedic Surgery: Specializing in a wide range of orthopedic procedures, including TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL/ACL) tears in dogs, patellar luxation repair, fracture repair, and other joint and bone surgeries.
- Soft Tissue Surgery: Performing various general and advanced soft tissue procedures, which can include tumor removals, abdominal surgeries, thoracic surgeries, and reconstructive surgeries.
- Advanced Diagnostics: Utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging such as digital radiography (X-rays) and potentially ultrasound to accurately diagnose conditions requiring surgical intervention.
- Pre-Surgical Consultation and Planning: Comprehensive consultations where the surgeon discusses the diagnosis, outlines surgical options, explains the procedure in detail, and addresses all client questions to ensure informed decision-making.
- Anesthesia and Pain Management: Employing advanced anesthetic protocols tailored to each patient, with continuous monitoring by skilled veterinary professionals, coupled with robust pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative pain management strategies for optimal comfort and recovery.
- Post-Operative Care and Rehabilitation Guidance: Providing detailed post-operative instructions, including guidance on at-home physical therapy exercises, wound care, medication administration, and activity restrictions to facilitate a smooth and successful recovery.
- Follow-Up Appointments: Scheduling thorough follow-up examinations to monitor healing progress, remove sutures, and adjust rehabilitation plans as needed, ensuring the best long-term outcome.
- Referral Services: Collaborating closely with general practice veterinarians, accepting referrals for specialized surgical cases and providing detailed reports back to the referring veterinarian for continuity of care.
Features / Highlights
- Specialized Surgical Expertise: Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care is dedicated exclusively to surgery, offering a higher level of expertise and focus than a general practice, particularly for complex orthopedic and soft tissue procedures like TPLO for CCL tears.
- Highly Qualified Surgeon (Dr. Benitez): As highlighted by numerous client testimonials, Dr. Benitez is consistently praised for her exceptional skill, thoroughness, clear communication, and compassionate approach, building immense trust with pet owners.
- Patient-Centric Approach: The team treats every pet "like their own," ensuring personalized care, meticulous surgical technique, and dedicated attention throughout the entire process, from consultation to recovery.
- Comprehensive Pre- and Post-Operative Support: They excel in providing detailed instructions for at-home care, including icing and massaging, and are highly responsive to pet parent questions, crucial for successful recovery. This includes advice on keeping active dogs calm during recovery, addressing common concerns.
- Positive Patient Outcomes: Reviews consistently highlight rapid and impressive recovery times, with pets showing significant improvement in mobility shortly after surgery, often "running around again" due to their care and expertise.
- Transparent Communication: Clients appreciate the transparency regarding procedures, pros/cons, and the recovery process, which helps manage expectations and reduces anxiety for pet owners.
- Referral-Based Trust: Being highly recommended by other veterinary professionals and through strong word-of-mouth indicates a high level of trust and respect within the veterinary community for their specialized services.
- Focus on Quality of Life: Their ultimate goal is to restore pets to their previous level of activity and comfort, allowing them to return to the things they love, which is paramount for active and driven animals.
Contact Information
Address: Box 2473, Cornelius, NC 28031, USA
Phone: (980) 257-4247
Conclusion: Why this place is suitable for locals
For pet owners in Cornelius, North Carolina, and the surrounding regions, Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care stands out as an indispensable resource for specialized veterinary surgical needs. If your cherished canine companion requires advanced orthopedic surgery, such as a TPLO procedure for a cruciate ligament tear, or any other complex soft tissue intervention, this is undeniably the place to turn. The deep expertise of their surgical team, notably Dr. Benitez, combined with a steadfast commitment to exceptional patient care and clear communication, makes them uniquely suitable for locals. Unlike general veterinary practices, Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care focuses exclusively on surgery, allowing for a higher level of precision, advanced techniques, and dedicated post-operative support that is crucial for successful outcomes. Their patient testimonials underscore their ability to achieve remarkable results, even with highly active dogs, demonstrating rapid and effective recovery. The comprehensive guidance on post-operative care and rehabilitation empowers pet parents to actively participate in their pet's healing journey, fostering a sense of partnership. For any North Carolina resident facing the daunting prospect of their pet needing surgery, knowing that a facility of this caliber, with a compassionate and highly skilled team, is available locally provides immense peace of mind and significantly enhances the chances for their beloved pet to return to a full, active, and joyful life. They are truly the go-to specialists for surgical care right here in our community.
Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care Photos










Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care Location
Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care
Box 2473, Cornelius, NC 28031, USA
Dogwood Veterinary Surgical Care Reviews
Dr Benitez is super pleasant, thorough, gives clear directives for post operative care and has operated on BOTH our lab-mix back legs -TPLO. Dogwood Surgical Care is the only place you need to go for your fur baby’s surgery needs. Complete trust in them and Dr B - she is responsive and patient to all pet parent questions. Our boy is running around again due to her care and expertise!!
Mar 21, 2025 · Ginny CoffeyI cannot recommend Dr Benitez and her team enough. I wish I could give a million stars. Dr Benitez was highly recommended and as someone who has been in the veterinary field for many many years, word of mouth is everything. I am so happy I was able to get a consultation with her to discuss my options. I have a 2yr old very active and driven Belgian Malinois who it turns out had a full CCL tear and not a partial(which we all thought it was given how active she was before surgery). Dr Benitez was very transparent with me and discussed all the pros/cons for this procedure, PT I can do at home, and laid out the recovery process so that I know what to expect. She knew how nervous I was, as how do you keep such a young, active dog calm for recovery. She put my mind at ease and assured me she would be here for me along the way, and she absolutely has. We are 5 days post op and Khaleesi is doing AMAZING. She had no swelling of her leg or bruising which can be common, but I followed the post op instructions very carefully with the icing and massaging. She was starting to use the leg on day 2 and now on day 5 she is walking outside for her 5 min walks very normally. My best advice for anyone considering this surgery is to follow those instructions like your life depends on it. I am so happy I chose to pursue this surgery and I can't wait to see my baby girl get back to all the things she loves. We are forever grateful for Dr Benitez and Grace, who treated Khaleesi like she was their own pet.
Oct 08, 2024 · Ashley EvansWe are so thankful for Dr. Benitez for the TPLO surgeries she performed on both of our dog Penny’s knees last year. She’s a whole new dog, running like her puppy self and has loads of energy now, which we attribute to the wonderful personal care by Dr Benitez. Her quality of life has improved tremendously since her knees were fixed, and we are so grateful that she took such good care of her.
Jan 06, 2024 · Amy StevensDr. Benítez is a skilled surgeon. She is very personable, compassionate and maintains consistent communication.Years ago, she performed a TPLO surgery for Olivia, our Lab/Pit mix dog. The result was perfect and our experience with Dr. Benítez was memorable.Recently our cat, Dapper Dan, had bladder block issues and needed to have the PU surgery. We were very happy to find out that Dr. Benítez would be doing this surgery! She communicated with us prior to the surgery and answered all of our questions. She thoroughly explained the healing process and set realistic expectations for us. During the recovery time, Dr. Benítez was always available for any questions we had. There were some complications on the road to recovery and we needed a secondary procedure to help Dapper Dan heal. Dr. Benítez and her husband, Dr. Tempel, met us over the weekend for this additional procedure. They were both so kind and caring. We really felt their hearts and their love for what they do. Dapper Dan is fully recovered because of Dr. Benítez and he is living his best life!Forever thankful,The Menza Family
Jul 10, 2023 · Cara KillianDr. Benitez performed major orthopedic surgery on my 9 month old, 7.5lb Havapoo. We are two months post-op—with the exception of a small scar on her hip, you would not know that the head of her femur was removed. She is leading an incredibly happy life and all indicators are she will sustain s long, active life as a result. Thank you Dr. Benitez for saving my very young fur-baby.
Nov 14, 2024 · Scott Miller
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