Laparoscopic surgery referrals in Yorkshire and the North East
Our laparoscopic surgery team is led by vet Simon Burgess BVetMed PGDipVPS CertAVP CertWVACPM MRCVS.
We're pleased to now offer the option of performing laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for a range of procedures including bitch spays, cryptorchid castrates and biopsying organs such as the liver and spleen. Unlike the traditional method, we make tiny incisions and use an endoscopic camera and specialised equipment to perform the surgery.
Here are some of the benefits of keyhole spay surgery:
- Less painful - studies show that dogs experience significantly less post operative pain because the procedure is less invasive and uses smaller incisions.
- Faster recovery time - most dogs recover more quickly and return to normal activity sooner than with traditional spay surgery.
- Smaller incisions - typically, only one to three small incisions are made (often 0.5cm to 1cm), leading to reduced trauma to the abdominal wall.
- Lower risk of complications - reduced bleeding, less tissue trauma and fewer chances of postoperative infection or complications like seromas.
- Improved visualisation - the use of a laparoscope allows better visibility of the ovaries and surrounding structures, leading to more precise surgical technique.
- Less internal trauma - the ovaries are removed without tearing the suspensory ligament, as is often done in traditional spay, which decreases internal pain and inflammation.
- Cosmetic benefits - smaller scars and less evidence of surgery, which can be important to some owners.
- Reduced postoperative medications - because of lower pain levels, fewer pain medications may be required post-operation. The recovery time is usually only 2 to 3 days compared with the normal 10 days
- Safer for at risk patients - this technique can be particularly advantageous for larger, deep-chested or overweight dogs, where traditional spay is riskier or more difficult.
- Lower risk of hernias - due to smaller incisions, there's a reduced chance of incisional hernias forming after surgery.
With a keyhole spay we usually only remove the ovaries rather than the uterus as well. Studies have shown that this method of spaying has no increased risk of uterine infections or tumours compared to removing the uterus and easier to perform with keyhole surgery.
If your dog is under 8kg we will recommend an appointment with one of our laparoscopic surgeons to discuss the best surgical approach.
Laparoscopic spays are more expensive than a conventional spay due to the specialised equipment involved, so if you would like an estimate then please speak to one of the team.
If you have any further questions or would like to discuss the options in more depth then please call the surgery and speak to one of our team.
To make an enquiry or book an appointment please call 01765 602396 or complete our Referral Form by clicking here.