ABOUT US
ORTOVET stp srl is the first Company of Professionals for the care of orthopaedic patients in Italy that covers the entire national territory.
The team, coordinated by Professor Filippo Maria Martini, offers a wide range of specialised care in the field of veterinary orthopaedics and traumatology.
ORTOVET operates throughout Italy thanks to a diffuse network providing its expertise to Partner Medical Facilities with the mutual objective of offering excellent services.
Company Certificated ISO 9001
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to guarantee the highest standards of care focusing on the animal’s health, trying to avoid suffering and treating the pain in the most appropriate way with the complete respect of animal in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.
Offer excellence in the field of veterinary orthopaedics and traumatology by applying modern diagnostic and therapeutic protocols but also through professional training.
Give the client in a complete comprehensive and scientific way all the necessary information for him/her to be able to choose what is best for his/her pet.
Spread a culture of diagnosis and therapy of orthopaedic and traumatological disorders in animals at a top level at health clinics and among pet owners.
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PROFESSIONAL TEAM


























SERVICES
Specialist Veterinary Consults
The clinical path of a patient with lameness starts with a thorough orthopaedic examination, which thanks to the use of the latest diagnostic tools will guide us in making a diagnosis and prescribing the most appropriate medical-surgical treatments for all types of orthopaedic disorders.




Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is the evolution of Osteochondrosis (OC), which is defined as impaired endochondral ossification (lack of ossification) in animals with rapid growth rate. Impaired ossification leads to thickened and weakened cartilage, which then detaches with the formation of a cartilage flap (fragment). The ethiopathogenesis of this disease includes hereditary, nutritional and growth factors.
OCD can involve various joints and those most affected are the shoulder (humeral head), elbow (humeral trochlea), stifle (medial and lateral condyles), and hock (astragalus). OCD of the shoulder mainly affects large or giant breed dogs with rapid growth rate and is more frequent in males and subjects often present bilateral lesions. Border Collies and English Setters are also frequently affected. The disease causes lameness in one or both front limbs and typically appears between 5 and 8 months of age. Surgical treatment of choice consists in the arthroscopic removal of the dissected cartilage flap and guarantees complete functional recovery in nearly all treated subjects. When left untreated or treated without following correct methods and timing, the disease evolves into osteoarthritis with progressive functional limitation of the affected joint.
Agility dogs, utility dogs, hunting dogs, field trials dogs, search and rescue dogs, obedience dogs: our dogs are increasingly involved in athletic/recreational activities. The athletic dog must reach skeletal and muscular perfection; this is why it becomes essential to take athletic dogs to regular orthopaedic examinations before and during athletic activity. Small or serious injuries can not only reduce athletic performance but also cause the dog to suffer. It is the utmost duty of the owner to recognise even the slightest of problem and take their dogs to the most suitable check-ups in order to guarantee optimal psychophysical wellness that is fundamental for reaching important goals.

X-ray Examination
Modern digital radiology is an irreplaceable tool in the hands of the orthopaedist and allows the diagnosis of most orthopaedic disorders in dogs and cats. ORTOVET carries out radiological studies for the official screening and certification of Hip Dysplasia and Elbow dysplasia, early clinical-radiological screening for the diagnosis in puppies of impaired developmental orthopaedic disorders (i.e. hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, Osteochondritis dissecans of the shoulder, knee and hock) and radiological studies to evaluate skeletal deformities.
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The minimum age for undergoing radiographic diagnosis for hip dysplasia is 12 months for all breeds with the following exceptions:
a) 15 months for Bernese Mountain dogs, Greater Swiss Mountain dogs, Briards and Rottweilers;
b) 18 months for Bullmastiffs, Pyrean Mountain dogs, St. Barnard dogs, Dogue de Bordeaux dogs, Great Danes, Leonbergers, Maremma-Abruzzese Sheepdogs, Mastiffs, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Continental Landseers, Giant Schnauzers, Irish Wolfhounds, Standard Poodles, Russian Wolfhounds, Caucasian Shepherd dogs, Sarplaninac shepherd dogs and Slovensky Cuvac dogs
The minimum age for radiographic diagnosis for elbow dysplasia is 12 months for all breeds.


When radiographic examination is not sufficient, in certain cases, patients may be subjected to Computed Axial Tomography (CT).
Surgeries
Each patient must be guaranteed top-quality surgery.
Modern day surgery plays a key role in most orthopaedic disorders. A surgical approach can be of preventive or corrective value for impaired skeletal development, of therapeutic value in traumatised patients and of replacement value in prosthetic surgery.
ORTOVET applies innovative surgical protocols using high-tech materials, which are minimally invasive and respect the biological principles of healing.
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Full-limb amputation is unfortunately a necessity for a series of pathologies that do not allow in dogs and cats other more conservative solutions.
Fortunately, the amputation of a single limb is a procedure well tolerated by the patient and generally provides an adequate functional outcome. Sometimes, clinical situations in which the limbs involved in pathologies and requiring amputation are more than one may occur; in these cases, amputation cannot in any way represent a real solution able to guarantee an adequate quality of life for our patients.
For these reasons, in addition to the negative perception of the owner toward amputation, limb sparing techniques are becoming increasingly popular, allowing selective amputations with the anatomical preservation of part of the affected limb.
External prosthetic limbs (esoprosthesis) applied after partial amputation are common in human medicine and are currently available for animals. Esoprostheses rely on prosthesis-skin interface to transmit the forces from the ground to the affected limb which may lead to frequent complications, including skin irritation, infections and skin necrosis; also periodic changes or adjustments are required, they can be difficult to manage and sometimes poorly tolerated by the patient.
The limitations associated with the esoprosthesis have been overcome with the use of endoprostheses called ITAP, initially developed for the amputated fingers in human medicine.
The ITAP is inserted into the bone of the limb subject to amputation. These prostheses are patient-specific custom made pure titanium implants, built with EBM technology in order to guarantee the best possible biocompatibility and osseointegration.
Each prosthesis consists of three sub-units: the first one is implanted into the bone and intended for bone ingrowth, the second one serves for the attachment of the skin and the third one, external, serves as a support for the prosthetic foot.
Primary stabilization of the prosthesis can be achieved with press fit or screws.
The external support (foot) must be functional and may have different shapes in relation to the affected skeletal segment, the patient’s attitude and body weight.




Most orthopaedic conditions in cats are of traumatic nature and since cats are small animals, often patients are polytraumatised.
Advances in the devices currently available mean that nearly all fractures in cats are treatable both with internal and external fixation techniques.
As well as modern locking plates, Ortovet uses an innovative type of synthesis: the Targon Vet ® interlocking nail, which is an osteosynthesis system used for the internal fixation of fractures. It is indicated for the treatment of fractures of long bones in cats and small dogs and is applied inside the fractured bone leading to stable fixation that makes it mechanically comparable to the latest stabilising systems. The use of this technology, which originates from human medicine, allows us to treat complex fractures that cannot be reconstructed with minimally invasive approaches and promotes functional recovery and biological healing of the fracture.

Useful Documents
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
One of ORTOVET’s strengths is its continuous professional training both among its team and within Partner Medical Facilities.
Its team regularly attends national and international congresses and theoretical-practical courses even as instructors and lecturers in order to guarantee its own continuous scientific training to offer the latest available treatment options.
The company organises for its Partner Medical Facilities continuing education on basic and advanced topics according to the specific facility’s needs.