Lap Spay?

Laparoscopy Is One Of Those Words That Make You Turn The Page When You See It – Because Most People Don’t Really Know What It Is. But If You Are A Pet Owner, Stick Around. You May Get To Make A Choice About Laparoscopy One Day And You’ll Want To Make An Educated Decision.

What is Laparoscopy?

Laparoscopic surgery is widely used in human medicine. It’s a minimally invasive surgery that surgeons use to perform appendectomies, gallbladder removal, and various abdominal procedures. Basically, laparoscopic surgery is done by making a very small incision in the abdomen and inserting a tiny camera into the abdominal cavity. The abdomen is then filled with carbon dioxide which allows the surgeon to see all of the organs in the body cavity. The tiny camera takes these views, magnifies them, and projects them onto a monitor. Additional entry incisions may be made and laparoscopic instruments are maneuvered through these ports to perform varied abdominal procedures. All of the incisions are between ¼” and ½” in size.

Over the last few years, laparoscopic technique has been developed to perform the most common abdominal surgery in dogs and cats – spays. At Animal Care Clinic, we are now offering a choice between traditional spays and laparoscopic spays….and here’s what you should know:

It’s Less Painful: In a traditional spay, a 2-3” incision is made in the abdomen, through which the ovarian ligament is literally torn from the abdominal wall. This causes internal bruising and postoperative pain. But in a lap spay, the magnification provided by the laparoscope allows the surgeon to carefully cut and cauterize the ovarian ligament. In addition, the entire procedure is performed through two tiny incisions which are easily sutured. A 2005 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that laparoscopic spays offered up to 65% less pain than a traditional open spay. At Animal Care Clinic, we see this difference in smoother anesthetic procedures and quieter recoveries.

It’s Less Invasive: With larger incisions, there is a greater chance for post-surgical infection. Small laparoscopic incisions close easily and are easy to monitor and keep clean.

Faster Recovery Time: The recovery time for a lap spay is typically much shorter. Your pet gets to go home with you on the same day as her laparoscopic surgery vs. the overnight stay traditionally required.

Laparoscopy has become a standard practice in human medicine. It now promises to become the gold standard of veterinary surgery as well. We believe that laparoscopic surgery is the best surgical alternative we can offer to you and your pet – and we are proud to do so. Please call us for more information.