Internal Procedures & Surgery*

Laparoscopy

Whilst laparoscopy (often referred to as key hole or minimally invasive surgery) is the gold standard in human medicine it is estimated that as little as 1% of suitable animal procedures are carried out in this way.

We are one of the few first opinion practices in Surrey to offer these procedures and are extremely proud to offer this service to our clients and their pets.

We routinely carry out:

Bitch spays (ovariohysterectomies/ovariectomies)
Cryptorchid castration in males (undescended testicles)
Liver, pancreatic and kidney biopsies
Exploratory surgery

There are a number of advantages to both the animal and owner with laparoscopic surgery versus traditional “open methods”.

These include:

Reduced post-operative pain
Much smaller incisions (generally less than 5mm)
Quicker healing
Less tissue handling
Quicker recovery time and reduced hospital stay
Reduced infection rates
Reduced blood loss

Laparoscopy has greatly improved the variety of surgical procedures that we are able to offer our clients. Please feel free to come in and chat to us if you are interested in how it works or if you think your pet would benefit from a laparoscopic procedure.

Endoscopy

We have a variety of both flexible and rigid scopes that enable us to look into all sorts of nooks and crannies!

By placing a scope into the ear or nose we are able to see so much more than the naked eye and can take biopsy samples with minimal trauma and discomfort to the patient.

Our flexible scopes enable us to visualise from the mouth to the stomach and throughout the small intestine and aid us greatly in removing foreign bodies or obtaining biopsies for intestinal workups, with greatly reduced pain to the patient and shorter recovery times compared with open surgery.

BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome)

Common breeds of brachycephalic dogs include English and French bulldogs, Pugs, Shih-Tzus and Pekingese.

If your dog is brachycephalic, you should seek a professional opinion to determine whether he or she would benefit from being treated for BOAS.

The list of the abnormalities and conditions most commonly seen in brachycephalic dogs, can be explained by their characteristic appearance of a short, squashed face.. Because their skeleton is short and small, their nostrils are compacted on their skull and are consequently closed (“stenotic” nares). Similarly, their nasal cavities are compacted in a small and short nose, which increases the resistance to airflow through them. The end of their palate, called “soft palate”, is too long and thick for their flat face, which makes it obstruct the back of their throat, leading at best too loud “snoring” noises when they breathe, at worse to complete respiratory obstruction.

Typically, a brachycephalic dog suffering from BOAS shows a combination of signs such as loud breathing and snoring, intolerance to exercise or heat, collapse (“syncopes”), gagging, regurgitation and vomiting. Importantly, what is frequently perceived as being normal “for the breed” is already physiologically abnormal. Having difficulty and making a very strong noise breathing may be widespread among brachycephalic dogs, it does not make it normal or without negative health consequences for that!

Fracture Repairs

We are able to undertake a variety of fracture repairs on site and our surgeons have been trained to use a variety of fracture fixation methods to achieve the best outcome for your pet.

In the unfortunate case that you pet suffers from a break our team of vets will be able to guide you in the right direction as to the best course of treatment and possible surgical options.

Cruciate Ligament Repair

Cruciate ligament rupture is the most common cause of hind limb lameness in dogs. In the vast majority of dogs, the cranial cruciate ligament ruptures as a result of long-term degeneration, whereby the fibres within the ligament weaken over time.

This is in contrast to humans who typically rupture the cruciate ligaments as a sporting injury or as a result of trauma. We do not know the precise cause of the degeneration in dogs, but genetic factors are probably most important, with certain breeds being predisposed (including Labradors, Rottweilers, Boxers, West Highland White Terriers and Newfoundlands). Other factors such as obesity, individual conformation, hormonal imbalance and certain inflammatory conditions of the joint may also play a role. We are able to offer two main types of surgery currently for dogs needing cruciate surgery.

We are able to offer TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) to most dogs over 15kgs at a very cost effective price compared to many referral centers. Typically animals undergoing a TTA procedure will start to weight bear on the leg within the first 3 days and return to normal function between 8-12 weeks. The benefit of a TTA procedure over a lateral suture repair is the rapid return to form especially in larger breed or athletic dogs and the predictability of the implants.

We also perform a lateral suture technique for smaller breed dogs whereby a nylon suture mimics the action of the cranial cruciate ligament. This is a much less complicated procedure and again dogs are expected to return to form within 8-12 weeks but may experience slightly longer periods of non-weight bearing lameness post operatively.