Keyhole Bitch Spays

Keyhole bitch spays on the Wirral can be performed at Acorn Veterinary Centre in West Kirby

What are the benefits of having a bitch spayed?

There are many benefits of having a female dog spayed:

  • It hugely reduces the risk of developing mammary tumours (breast tumours)
  • Eliminates the risk of unwanted pregnancies
  • Eliminates the risk of ovarian tumours
  • Reduces the risk of infection of the uterus (Pyometra), which can be life threatening

Whilst traditional spay operations are considered routine, they are still major operations. To perform the surgery, a larger incision has to be made to allow the surgeon good access to work. During the procedure the ovaries are removed as well as the womb. The alternative is to have a far less invasive keyhole procedure – called a laparoscopic spay.

How does a keyhole bitch spay differ from a normal spay?

Keyhole surgery is much less invasive.  Incisions of approximately 1cm or less are made through the skin and muscle layers, a camera and specially designed surgical instruments are used to carry out the surgery. The images are fed to a large screen which magnifies the pictures of the internal organs meaning that the surgeon can operate with precision. With keyhole spay procedures only the ovaries are removed which gives all the same benefits of a traditional spay. The discomfort a dog experiences after a keyhole spay is proven to be significantly reduced

What are the benefits of a keyhole bitch spay?

Because a keyhole spay procedure is less invasive, dogs recover more quickly after surgery. The wounds are much smaller than with a traditional spay so they heal much quicker. This can be really beneficial for large breeds or lively, active dogs.

Keyhole bitch spays have a small added cost compared to traditional spays as they need specialised equipment and a higher level of training for the surgeon.

If you would like to talk to us in more detail about this procedure please contact us and one of our surgeons will be happy to call you back and answer any questions.