Laparoscopy is a type of procedure that is minimally invasive. The procedure is used in both humans and veterinary medicine. During the procedure we make a tiny cut and use a miniature camera attached to a rod to see inside your pet. With the camera we can view organs and guide surgical tools. All laparoscopic procedures are performed by Dr. Paul Hodges, who is a travelling surgeon. Dr. Hodges has been performing laparoscopy since 2010. He is very knowledgeable on the procedure and one of the best in his line of work.
What is the difference between laparoscopy and regular surgery?
Laparoscopy is a type of surgery but it has more improvements. Just like any surgery pre-anesthetic blood testing is performed to determine how well your pet will respond to the procedure. Surgeries can have complications and take weeks or months to heal depending on the complexity, however with laparoscopy that worry is significantly decreased. In regular surgeries the incision is 3 or 4 times larger than what is used in laparoscopy. Laparoscopic procedures heal faster because the incision is much smaller. This type of procedure also means your pet will use less medication during recovery.
What procedures can be done with laparoscopic surgery?
Laparoscopy is used to perform routine and advanced procedures. It may be recommended for your pet if open surgery would be too risky for them (e.g. if they are senior age, have comorbidities). Here are the procedures that can be performed with laparoscopy:
- Spay and neuter surgery
- Organ biopsy
- Abdominal tumour removal
- Bladder stone removal
- To examine internal organs
To speak with a veterinarian about this procedure for your pet, please give us a call at 416-463-8387.
