At Westport, we are proud to now offer laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for our patients.

What is laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy is minimally-invasive surgery where a camera is inserted through a small wound in the body wall to allow surgical procedures to be carried out.

The most common procedure we perform is the laparoscopic spay -removal of the ovaries via 2 tiny incisions in the abdominal wall.

What are the advantages of laparoscopy?

  • Smaller wounds mean faster wound healing and less discomfort for our patients.
  • Often no requirement for buster collars.
  • Faster recovery – dogs can return to normal activity after only 3 days, rather than having to be lead walked for up to 10 days.
  • Laparoscopy allows the surgeon a much better view inside the body.

Are there any disadvantages of only removing the ovaries? 

Because conditions such as pyometra and phantom pregnancies are caused by hormones produced by the ovaries, the risk of these is eliminated by removing the ovaries.

 

What other procedures can be carried out laparoscopically?

  • Cryptorchid castration – removal of retained abdominal testicle(s).
  • Gastropexy (can be done at time of spay) -securing the stomach to the body wall to help reduce the risk of Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) – a life-threatening condition which can occur in deep-chested dogs.
  • Exploratory surgery -laparoscopy allows a good look at the abdominal organs as well as the opportunity to easily biopsy any areas of concern.
  • Biopsies – in particular liver biopsy for investigation of liver disease and intestinal biopsies for investigation of conditions such as chronic diarrhoea.

I want to book my pet in for a laparoscopic procedure. What should I do next?

Get in touch via email or give us a call to arrange a suitable appointment. 

We are happy to see patients from other practices for laparoscopic surgeries. We will need to request a history from your own vet and will then send a report back following the operation.