Laparoscopic Procedures

The main reason for neutering (removal of an animal’s reproductive organ) is population control and avoidance of unwanted pregnancies. Also, there are social reasons, as neutering prevents your female dog from coming in to season and therefore prevents vaginal bleeding which can be very messy as well as mood changes.
There are also many health benefits to your dog which many people aren’t aware of. In the female dog we prevent ovarian and uterine cancers. Mature females who have never bred or who haven’t had a litter for many years can commonly develop a serious and potentially life-threatening womb infection, called a pyometra. If a bitch is spayed earlier in her life, there is a dramatic reduction in the incidence of mammary carcinomas (breast cancer) in her later years. Here at Murphy and Co vets we are please to now offer laparoscopic spaying, in addition to current services. It’s a minimally Invasive Surgery which causes less tissue trauma for the patient.

The traditional spay is an ‘open’ surgical procedure where the surgeon creates a wound in the abdomen, large enough to allow direct access for the fingers, hands and surgical instruments to the contents of the abdomen. Whereas laparoscopic techniques involve the placement of surgical tubes (or cannula) between 5.5mm and 10mm in diameter through the abdominal wall to gain surgical access, using special scissors, forceps and sealing devices. The patient’s abdomen in inflated with carbon dioxide gas to create a space in which to perform the surgery. The whole procedure is viewed via a digital camera on a high definition monitor. Laparoscopically surgery isn’t just for female dogs as it can be used to remove retained abdominal testicles (which have a high risk of undergoing cancerous change) in a male dog.

Many studies in both the human field and Veterinary surgery have demonstrated lower complication rates with wound infection or haemorrhage, lower pain levels and a more rapid return to normal activity. A study in 2009 showed that female dogs undergoing the traditional spay were 62% less active in the 24 hours after surgery, while those undergoing laparoscopically spay were only 25% less active. Typically, our patients are up on their feet 5-10 minutes after the procedure and are exercising normally a week after surgery.