We offer two methods of spaying- the conventional spay, which removes the ovaries and uterus, or the laparoscopic (keyhole) spay, where only the ovaries are removed. It has been shown that removal of the uterus is unnecessary when ovaries are removed and does not result in a pyometra (infection of the womb) where no hormones are present. A laparoscopic spay is a good option for young, bouncy dogs who would benefit from a quicker healing time of 5-7 days.
What is laparoscopy?
Laparascopy or ‘keyhole surgery’ has become much more popular within veterinary medicine in recent years purely because of the advantages to the patient. Instead of performing surgery in the conventional way through an 8-12cm incision, the procedure is performed through two very small incisions, 1cm in diameter.
What are the advantages of a laparoscopic spay?
The procedure is less painful than traditional surgery. Dogs will recover more quickly and return to exercise faster. Wound management is a lot easier; the two very small incisions heal up a lot faster. This is particularly advantageous in young, bouncy patients.
Is my dog suitable for a laparoscopic spay?
Bitches must be at least 6 months of age and over 5 kilograms. For larger dogs over 40 kilograms the procedure may not be suitable. If you have a larger dog please contact us so that our vets can assess if a laparoscopic spay would be possible.
We recommend waiting at least 3 months after the end of your bitch’s season before having them spayed, as with a conventional spay.
How long does my dog need to stay with you?
The laparoscopic spay is a day procedure, patients are dropped off to our hospital between 8:20am and 9am, our nursing team will give you a call around lunchtime to arrange a home time for them in the afternoon.
What are the aftercare requirements?
As with any surgery, you will need to keep your dog from licking the surgical site with either a traditional cone or medical pet t-shirt. You will need to keep your dog quiet for the first 24 hours and restrict them to short lead walks for 5-7 days.
In most cases we do not need to see the patient back for a re-examination unless there are any concerns and there are no stitches to be removed as we use a dissolvable suture material.
Is there limited availability and how far in advance do I need to book?
Our vets Philip Snyman and Ian Killian perform the laparoscopic surgeries and they operate on specific days of the week. Is it best to call 1-2 weeks in advance to book your pet in.
Are there any greater risks with a laparoscopic spay compared to a conventional spay?
The risks are no different between a conventional spay and a laparoscopic spay. In very rare cases the laparoscopic spay might need to be converted to a conventional spay, for example if there is a large amount of bleeding which cannot be stopped.
My dog is not registered with you, can I still book them for a keyhole spay procedure with Heathfield Vets
Absolutely, we see lots of patients for the keyhole spay procedure from all over East Sussex who do not use us as their regular vet as not many practices can offer this method.
