Laparoscopic surgery, otherwise known as keyhole surgery, is a form of minimally invasive surgery.  It can be used in place of more traditional ‘open’ surgical procedures as it typically carries a faster recovery and can be associated with less postoperative discomfort. 

The most common laparoscopic procedure performed is a laparoscopic ovariectomy, however we also perform removal of retained testicles, liver biopsies, gastropexies and pericardectomies (removal of a portion of the sac around the heart) amongst other procedures.

Laparoscopic ovariectomy involves the removal of both ovaries, whilst leaving the uterus in place.  Removal of all the ovarian tissue means that the dog will no longer come into season, avoiding any unwanted pregnancies and eliminating the risk of future pyometras (infection of the uterus).

Laparoscopic ovariectomies are performed as a day procedure.  Both ovaries are removed through 2 or 3 small abdominal incisions.  Despite the small size of the incisions, we do still have to clip the fur from the full abdomen in order to ensure sterility of the surgical field.  Patients will be discharged later the same day with pain relief for the subsequent few days.  Patients tend to recover rapidly from this surgery, and (with the exception of swimming) can usually resume normal exercise 48 hours after surgery.  This makes this procedure ideal for active, or working dogs. 

Benefits of laparoscopic ovariectomy:

• Better visualisation of the surgical field which increases safety
• Smaller surgical wounds
• Quicker return to normal activity
• Reduced postoperative pain
• Often a shorter surgical time compared to open surgery

If you wish to know more about this procedure please contact the hospital.