At The Guildford Vet, we are proud to announce we are now able to offer this minimally-invasive surgery for our own patients and also we can take referrals from other vet practices.
What is laparoscopic surgery?
“Abdominal Keyhole Surgery” or “laparoscopy” has been widely used for many years in human surgery for many procedures due to its clear advantages when compared to traditional open surgery. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive technique for performing abdominal surgery through one or more tiny incisions in the abdominal wall -making it ideal for performing speys. An endoscopic camera is inserted through a tiny incision in your pet’s abdomen, providing us with a highly-detailed view of the entire procedure and further improving surgical precision. In a conventional spay, a large incision is made to allow the surgeon adequate sight and room to perform the removal of both the uterus and ovaries. This can also involve some tearing of tissues (suspensory ligament) which further increases the pain associated with this open surgical spay. Although this is one of the most common surgical procedures we perform it is still major surgery as anyone who has had an ovariohysterectomy will know!
In contrast to conventional surgery, when neutered laparoscopically only the ovaries are removed which shortens surgical time and again reduces the risks involved. Evidence shows that there is no medical advantage to removing the healthy uterus and the long-term health outcomes are the same for both ovariectomy and ovariohysterectomy.
What are the advantages of a laparoscopic spey?
This type of surgery offers a number of benefits, both for you and your pet:
Reduced Pain
The two incisions are tiny (significantly smaller than the single large wound created for conventional spey surgery) and there is far less trauma to the abdominal structures that suspend the reproductive system, studies suggest that post-operative pain is reduced by over 65%. This allows for a shorter course of post-operative pain-killers.
Even though the area of fur removed is similar, your dog will only have 2 very small wounds in the midline of her tummy, near the umbilical scar.
Faster Recovery
With a smaller wound and less abdominal trauma recovery time is much quicker. This allows for a very short period of rest after surgery – generally 2 or 3 days, as compared to 14 days for a conventional spay.
Minimal Complication Risk
Smaller incisions speed up wound healing and lowers the risk of any subsequent infection. Wound licking and chewing of stitches is minimised as there are only a few subcutaneous sutures used.
We would be delighted to discuss the many benefits further with you and help you decide whether laparoscopic surgery is right for your pet.
Other services
Dental Care
Dental Care
Dental health is often an overlooked issue in dog and cats. It is estimated that 85% of dogs and cats over the age of three years of age will have some degree of dental disease. Here at The Guildford Vet, we believe helping owners understand the impact dental health can have on your pet’s overall health is important. We can where necessary perform dental scale and polish procedures in house, and carry out any necessary tooth extractions to help restore your pet’s dental health.
Repeat Prescriptions
Repeat Prescriptions
When requesting more medication or food please give us at least 24 hours notice. The main reason for this is to allow us time to check whether the item is in stock, if it isn’t we can order it to arrive the next day and dispense it.