What is laparoscopic spay surgery?
When it comes to spaying surgery for your pet, both traditional and laparoscopic surgery have the same result, sterilization. One of the benefits of laparoscopic surgery when compared to traditional spay surgery is that it is minimally invasive and allows your pet to get back to running around sooner!
How is laparoscopic spay surgery performed?
While the procedure itself may have slight deviations in technique depending on the veterinary surgeon, laparoscopic surgery generally involves creating one to three small incisions along the abdominal body wall. Your dog or cat's veterinary surgeon will then slide the camera and surgical instruments through these incisions in order to carry out the laparoscopic spaying procedure.
The veterinary surgeon will ensure that your pet's abdomen is filled with CO2 gas to increase the visibility of the internal organs and structures. The surgeon will use the camera to visually maneuver the internal area while transmitting the image digitally to a screen in the operating room. This will allow the vet surgeon to complete the procedure without ever needing to physically enter the abdominal cavity. Once the blood vessels are sealed the vet surgeon will carefully cut and remove the ovaries of your cat or dog.
What is the difference between laparoscopic and traditional spay surgeries?
Regardless of the sterilization method that your pet undergoes, general anesthesia will be used on your cat or dog. Your pet will require thorough diagnostic testing to confirm the status of their health prior to surgery, ensuring that they can withstand the anesthesia and the procedure itself.
While both methods are effective, laparoscopic surgery for cats and dogs requires smaller incisions resulting in less tissue trauma along with less bleeding and a reduced risk of infection.
What are the benefits of laparoscopic spay for cats and dogs?
There are a number of benefits that are seen when laparoscopic surgery is used for spaying, such as:
- Smaller incisions
- Shorter time in surgery
- Less bleeding
- Faster wound healing
- Quicker recovery time
- Less painful
While laparoscopic spaying surgery is beneficial in many ways, there are still certain circumstances that require the traditional spay technique such as when there is an infection of cancer present in the uterus. If your dog or cat is in heat then their veterinary surgeon will likely also recommend waiting until the heat has passed before performing any spaying technique.
What should I expect from my cat or dog's laparoscopic spay recovery?
If the surgery has gone well and was without any complications then the vet surgeon will likely release your dog or cat the same day. Your pet will have had general anesthesia so they may be feeling fairly drowsy when you bring them home.
For the first day, you should only allow your pet outside for quick bathroom breaks, as well as gentle walking only for the first two days. Your pet will be able to get back to their typical daily activities within 2 to 3 days post-op.
Your pet's surgeon will schedule a checkup with your dog or cat around 7 days after their spaying surgery to ensure that the incision is healing well and that there are no complications. If you are noticing any bleeding, discharge or discoloration around the incision then you should contact your Santa Cruz vet as soon as possible.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.