Dr. Tom Day performs laparoscopy on a dog to obtain a liver biopsy. Laparoscopy can be used to perform many procedures safely, less invasively and with more confidence when compared to exploratory surgery or use of the ultrasound. A complete view of the abdomen or thorax is obtained without the postoperative pain associated with surgery. Many surgical procedures can be performed as well. LVSES is the only facility in the area, to date, that can offer laparoscopy as an alternative to surgery in selected circumstances.

UPDATE (11-3-08)!!

Over 30 laparoscopic procedures have been performed at LVSES by Dr. Tom Day. The most common procedure is a laparoscopy-assisted gastropexy, which is a permanent attachment of the stomach to the inside of the body wall. Large breed dogs areprone to gastric torsion (also called gastric bloat). Traditional surgery to perform a prophylactic, or preventative, gastropexy involves a very large abdominal incision and a 1-2 week recovery period. The incision for a laparoscopic procedure is 2 inches long and the recovery is days, not weeks. In addition, postoperative pain is dramatically lower when performing laparoscopy compared to traditional surgery. Laparoscopic procedures are generally lower in cost, as well. The second most common laparoscopic procedure performed at LVSES is a liver biopsy to diagnose problems with the liver. Laparoscopy provides a live view of the liver and the area to have a biopsy, and is much safer than other forms of liver biopsy. The other advantage of a laparoscopic liver biopsy is that multiple biopsies can be obtained to secure the diagnosis. The third most common laparoscopic procedure performed at LVSES is ovariectomy or removal of the ovaries. All veterinarians have been taught that the ovaries and uterus must be removed to succesfully spay a dog. This is not true. The most common disease of the uterus, an infection called pyometra, is a primarily hormonal disease in dogs. No other organ in the dog produces sex hormones other than the ovary. Removal of the ovary involves less trauma and pain compared to removal of the ovaries AND uterus. Laparoscopic removal of the ovaries has been popularized and studied extensively in veterinary medicine. Laparoscopic removal of the ovaries results in less postoperative pain and faster recoveries than traditional surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus. There is no limit to the size of the dog that can have laparoscopic removal of the ovaries. Removal of the ovaries in dogs as small as 3# and as large as 125# have been performed using laparoscopy at LVSES.

 Please consult your veterinarian regarding the pros and cons of laparoscopic removal of the ovaries. LVSES performs the procedure on a referral basis only.