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SURGICAL ALTERATIONS: REPRODUCTIVE |
OUR SPAYS ARE:
- Ovariohysterectomies – During our spays, the veterinarian will use a laser to surgically remove the ovaries, uterine horns, and uterus from a female dog or cat, otherwise known as “spay”. Not only does this procedure prevent pregnancy, but it eliminates a female's heat cycle as well due to the removal of the ovaries, which produce female hormones. For this procedure, an incision is made with our laser through either the abdomen or flank to remove the female reproductive organs. Close:
OUR NEUTERS ARE:
- Orchiectomies – During our neuters, the veterinarian will use a laser* to surgically remove the testicles from a male, otherwise known as “neuter”. This procedure prevents a cat or dog’s ability to father litters and prevents common male breeding behaviors by removing the major source of the male hormone called testosterone. For this procedure, a small skin incision is made near the testicles through which the testicles are removed. Close:
*Exception: Laser surgery is not used during feline neuters due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure.
We examine our patients and run diagnostic tests to ensure that they are healthy candidates for routine surgery. Once they are cleared for surgery they are given pain medications and mild sedation, then an IV catheter is placed and general anesthesia is induced with propofol (the same induction used in human medicine). An endotracheal tube is placed in their airway and they are placed on Oxygen and anesthetic gas. An anesthesia monitor is now observing all of the patients vitals and once prepped and moved to surgery the patient is hooked up to the ECG, SPO2, BP, capnograph and temperature monitors. Our surgery table is heated and our surgery suite is a positive pressure room (this helps keep it as sterile as possible). The surgical assistant does one last scrub on the patient and the doctor takes over applying sterile fields and beginning surgery.
In spays we open the abdomen by making a linear incision down the body and going thru the skin and muscle layers until we come to the peritoneal lining. The ovaries and uterus are then isolated. We ligate above the ovaries and remove them and their attached horns from the abdomen. We then move to the body of the uterus and ligate it just above the cervix. This is a complete ovariohysterectomy. We then close the muscle wall and skin. We use two layers of stitches that are absorbable and completely buried so no stitches are visible and there is minimal dermal irritation.
Patients must go home and be confined / leashed walked for 14 days wearing a collar to prevent licking.
In the neuter of a dog it is very similar but we do not open the abdomen. We make incisions just cranial to the scrotum and ligate and remove each testicle. We then close the skin with subdermal sutures and apply skin adhesive.