We are pleased to announce that we now offer laparoscopic ovariectomy for dogs as part of our neutering service. This type of neutering, also known as “keyhole spaying” is a form of minimally invasive surgery and is considered to be the gold standard for neutering female dogs.

Why choose Laparoscopic Ovariectomy?

Laparoscopic surgery has been commonly used in human surgery for the last 30 years, where it has been adapted for a wide variety of surgical procedures and has been demonstrated to result in decreased pain, fewer complications and shorter hospital stays than conventional surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery is new to the veterinary profession and relatively few practices currently have the necessary facilities to offer it at present.

Scientific studies have shown that laparoscopic neutering has increased benefits when compared to traditional (open) spays;

1. Reduced amount of pain after the operation.
   This is due to the much smaller surgical wounds possible with laparoscopic surgery (0.5-1cm compared to 6-15cm) and because the ovaries can be visualised and detached from their usual position, rather than being stretched and pulled upwards towards the wound opening during surgery.

2. Your pet will return to her normal level of exercise sooner.
   Normally she must rest for 10-14 days, but after laparoscopic surgery only 2-3 day’s rest are required.

3. A significantly reduced risk of complications.
   Such as bleeding from the surgical site; this is due to the surgeon having much better visualisation of the ovaries and using advanced equipment to seal the vessels.

What does Laparoscopic Ovariectomy involve?

In many ways the process is similar to the traditional spay, all aspects of pre-surgical preparation are identical and your pet will only need to be with us for the day.

The main difference is the process once your pet is under anaesthetic. Instead of opening the abdomen to remove the ovaries, two small incisions are made in which cannulas are placed to create “ports”. In one port a small camera is placed and the abdominal cavity is filled with gas to improve visualisation of the abdominal contents. The second port is used to place instruments that can manipulate the ovary and cut the tissue. Once both ovaries are removed, the gas is emptied, the cannulas are removed and the holes are closed with dissolvable sutures, leaving two very small scars.

Your pet will then recover from the anaesthetic in much the same way as an open surgery and should be ready to go home the same day.

Sounds great! What is the downside?

Complications arising from laparoscopic ovariectomy are relatively uncommon when compared to the open technique. However, when complications arise, it is possible that we may have to convert to the “open” spay to be able to safely deal with unforeseen events.

It is also necessary to do a much larger clip of the patients’ hair for the procedure which is more noticeable than the clip for a traditional spay.

Why does a laparoscopic ovariectomy cost more than a traditional spay?

Laparoscopic surgery requires the use of highly specialised equipment; much of it can only be used once or needs to be replaced regularly. In addition, our surgeons require specialised training to carry out the procedure safely and effectively. All these factors contribute to the cost incurred by the hospital which is unfortunately necessary to pass onto the cost of the procedure to the client and results in the price discrepancy.

What is the cost of a laparoscopic ovariectomy at BSAH?

Bitches < 10kg £775

Bitches 11-25kg £850

Bitches 25.1kg + £925

If you have any queries, concerns, or would like to book your pet in for a laparoscopic spay, please call 0207 387 8134