History
“Momo” Clark a 9-month-old English Bulldog presented to me for a spay consultation. Her exam revealed no significant abnormalities. She had previously been treated for suspected allergies, so we discussed a diet trial to rule out food allergies. We also discussed the potential need for an elongated soft palate resection (removal of extra tissue in the throat) and nasal fold resection (extra fold of skin over the nose) in the future. Both conditions as well as allergic skin disease are common in English Bulldogs. Lastly, we discussed different methods of sterilization in dogs. She is a cute, stocky little dog that is relatively deep chested.
I recommended a laparoscopic ovariectomy. This procedure involves removing only the ovaries using a laparoscope and vessel sealing device. Laparoscopy is the preferred surgical approach to most surgeries in humans because it is minimally invasive and therefore is less painful and provides a quicker return to normal life. Many veterinary specialists believe that it will be commonplace in veterinary medicine one day as well. The owners agreed this was the best procedure for Momo given her anatomy and need to return to normal as quickly as possible
Diagnostics
Prior to anesthesia, Momo received a complete blood count and biochemical profile to ensure that there were not any subclinical conditions that would impact anesthesia and surgery. Everything was normal. She was then given a pain medication and mild sedative. An intravenous catheter was placed. Momo was started on IV fluids and general anesthesia was induced.
Surgery
The procedure involves anesthetizing the patient, placing them on their back on a table that tilts from side to side and shaving and antiseptically cleaning their abdomen. Using sterile technique, a port (or cannula) is placed a few centimeters below the umbilicus (belly button) and another port is placed a few centimeters above the umbilicus. A laparoscope is advanced through the lower port and into the abdomen. The surgeon gets a comprehensive view of abdomen. After exploring the abdomen and ensuring there the anatomy is normal, a grasping forcep is advanced through the upper port. The patient is tilted to one side. This allows the organs to fall away from the ovary. The forcep is used to grasp the ovary. After the ovary is secured in place, the forcep is removed and a vessel sealer is used to seal and cut the blood vessel surrounding the ovary. The ovary is then grasped again and removed through the small incision where the port had been placed. The same procedure is performed on the second side. Both incisions are closed with a single suture in the body wall. The skin is closed with suture material under the skin and tissue glue is used for final closure. The result is two small incisions each 5 mm in length with no skin stitches. We use a surgical suit (like dog pajamas) to cover the incisions and keep them from licking at them. We prescribe pain medications. Usually, these dogs are back to normal the following day.