What Is Minimally-Invasive Surgery? How Laparoscopic Procedures Benefit Pets

At some point in their lifetime, many pets will need to undergo surgery—whether it’s a routine spay or a life-saving procedure. As veterinary professionals, we are always looking for ways to minimize pets’ discomfort, speed up healing times, and improve our level of care. That’s why Mountainside Veterinary Hospital proudly offers minimally invasive surgery for laparoscopic spay, cryptorchid neuter, and gastropexy. 

What Is Minimally-Invasive Surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery requires highly specialized equipment and advanced training. It’s performed using tiny incisions, through which the surgeon inserts instruments and a small camera. The camera provides high-definition video in real time to guide the surgical instruments. 

Benefits of Minimally-Invasive Surgery

Despite every precaution, surgery traumatizes body tissues. Traditional open surgeries require a larger incision site and more manipulation of nearby tissues and organs so the surgeon can visualize the surgical area. Larger incisions mean longer healing time. 

Because minimally invasive procedures use smaller incisions and require less tissue handling, pets tend to experience less pain during recovery. Other benefits include: 

• Less manipulation and disruption of nearby tissues and organs
• Faster healing and recovery windows
• Lower risk of surgical site infection 
• Less bleeding and inflammation at surgical sites
• Faster surgeries and less time under anesthesia

What Minimally-Invasive Surgeries Do We Offer? 

Despite these benefits, minimally-invasive procedures aren’t the best choice for every pet or procedure. At Mountainside Veterinary Hospital, we specialize in three primary minimally invasive procedures: laparoscopic spay, cryptorchid neuter, and gastropexy. 

Laparoscopic Spay

During a laparoscopic or “keyhole” spay, the surgeon removes the ovaries  in what’s known as an ovariectomy (OVE) using just 2-3 small incisions. This is a routine and generally safe procedure that helps protect dogs against serious health problems. According to one 2005 study, laparoscopic spays caused less surgical stress and up to 65% less post-operative pain than a traditional spay. Learn more about the specific benefits of laparoscopic spay here!

Cryptorchid Neuter

Male dogs’ testicles develop near the kidneys, in the abdomen. They normally descend into the scrotum when the dog is between 2 and 6 months old. Occasionally, however, one or both testicles may fail to descend, leading to a condition called cryptorchidism. 

Similar to a laparoscopic spay, minimally invasive cryptorchid surgery allows for the removal of the retained testicle/s using small incisions in the abdomen. This is important because dogs with a retained testicle are more likely to develop testicular cancer and may experience testicular twisting, which causes pain and may require emergency surgery. 

Gastropexy

During gastropexy surgery, the stomach is attached to the abdominal wall to prevent or treat gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV, AKA “bloat”) in dogs. GDV is a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills with gas and fluid, then twists on itself. This twisting cuts off blood flow to the stomach and spleen, resulting in shock and potentially death. Large and giant breed dogs are especially susceptible to GDV. 

By attaching the stomach to the abdominal wall, gastropexy surgery effectively prevents this twisting. We recommend prophylactic, or preventative, gastropexy for any large and giant-breed dog over six months of age. With our laparoscopic gastropexy capabilities, we can reduce your pup’s recovery time and post-operative discomfort! 

Our Trusted Surgical Specialty Partners

While we can perform a wide variety of surgeries in-house at our Beaverton vet clinic, some procedures require a surgical specialist. Our specialty partners include: 

• ​MISCA​​
• Veterinary Cancer & Surgery Specialists
• OREV Specialty Vet Care
• Veterinary Surgical Center of Portland
• DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital
• Pacific Northwest Pet ER & Specialty Center
• Northwest Veterinary Specialists

Whenever we refer to our specialty partners, we strive to make your experience as seamless as possible. We’ll make sure your pet’s surgical team has a comprehensive medical history and consult with them as needed to ensure your pet receives the best possible care. 

Keeping Pets Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable!

Whether your pet undergoes a traditional procedure or minimally invasive surgery, our goal is to keep them comfortable. We work closely with you to make sure your pet’s post-operative care plan gets them back on their feet as quickly as possible. Interested in learning more about our surgical capabilities? Give us a call to schedule your consultation: 971-405-1111.