Keyhole Spays

We are pleased to announce that starting in 2019 we are now able to laparoscopic “keyhole” surgery. Keyhole spays require advanced equipment to perform and a significant investment in equipment and training. For this reason very few practices offer this service but we are pleased to now offer this facility.

Keyhole surgery has been used in human medicine for many years and is shown to reduce surgical trauma and provide quicker recoveries compared to “open” surgeries.  These same advantages can now be provided for your pet!

A traditional spay involves a relatively large incision through the abdomen where the ovaries and uterus are then stretched out of the belly, physically tied-off and removed. The large incision results in a prolonged period of rest post-surgery (2-3 weeks of lead rest). A keyhole spay however, is performed through three tiny holes generally less than 1cm long and uses a small camera to identify the ovaries before using a special machine to electrically seal the vessels. The ovaries alone are then removed. Due to the small hole, better visualisation and minimal trauma keyhole spays tend to be less painful, with less complications (such as bleeding) and the animals recover faster (1 week of rest).

If you would like to book your pet for a laparoscopic “keyhole” spay please talk to reception at Plymouth Veterinary Hospital on 01752 702646.