A gentler way to do one of the kindest things you will do for her
Spaying is one of the first big decisions a family makes for a young dog, and it is a loving one: it prevents unwanted litters, removes the risk of life-threatening uterine infection (pyometra), and lowers the chance of mammary cancer later in life. The decision is not whether to protect her. It is how to do it as gently as possible.
A traditional spay reaches the ovaries through a single incision down the middle of the belly, several inches long in a medium or large dog, and the surgeon works by feel and by stretching tissue to bring each ovary up to the opening. A laparoscopic spay reaches the same ovaries through two small ports, with a high-definition camera that magnifies everything on a screen. Each ovarian blood vessel is sealed under direct vision with an instrument that closes it precisely, so there is very little bleeding and almost no pulling on the tissues around it.
What the research shows
We recommend laparoscopic spay because the studies support what we see in our own patients, not because it is newer.
- Less pain. In a randomized clinical trial, 9 of 10 dogs spayed through a traditional open incision needed additional pain medication afterward; none of the dogs spayed laparoscopically did. The laparoscopic group also showed lower stress-hormone levels in the hours after surgery (Devitt et al., JAVMA 2005). A separate blinded trial found lower pain scores in the laparoscopic group at every time point for three days (Hancock et al., Veterinary Surgery 2005).
- Back to themselves sooner. Using activity monitors on dogs’ collars, researchers found that small dogs spayed laparoscopically were only about 25 percent less active than normal in the two days after surgery, compared with about 62 percent less active after a traditional spay (Culp et al., Veterinary Surgery 2009).
- Fewer wound problems. In a series of 260 dogs operated by the same surgical team, overall complications were less frequent after laparoscopic ovariectomy than after open surgery (20 percent versus 44 percent), with no incisional hernias in the laparoscopic group (Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2019). In 278 laparoscopic cases at a university hospital, surgical site infection occurred in 1.3 percent of dogs (Corriveau et al., JAVMA 2017).
- Removing the ovaries is enough. A laparoscopic spay is usually an ovariectomy: the ovaries are removed and the healthy uterus is left in place. Without ovaries the uterus becomes inactive, and the published evidence shows no added risk of uterine disease compared with removing both (DeTora and McCarthy, JAVMA 2011). It is the standard approach across much of Europe and increasingly in the United States.
Is a laparoscopic spay right for your dog?
Most healthy dogs are candidates, including small breeds; the published small-dog technique uses a scope narrower than a drinking straw. Laparoscopy is a particularly good fit for:
- Large, deep-chested breeds such as Great Danes, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles, Weimaraners and Dobermans, because a preventive gastropexy against bloat can be done through the same small ports during the same anesthesia (see below)
- Active and working dogs whose families want the shortest possible interruption to training, hiking or sport
- Older intact females, for whom a smaller, less painful surgery is easier to recover from
- Dogs whose families simply prefer the gentler option, which is reason enough
We will also tell you plainly when it is not the right choice. Very small puppies, dogs with certain abdominal conditions, and a few body shapes make a traditional spay the safer or kinder option, and in those cases we will say so and send you back to your family veterinarian with a note. Occasionally, for safety, a laparoscopic procedure has to be converted to an open incision during surgery; it is uncommon, and we discuss it with every family beforehand.
Routine spays and neuters
Stitches is a specialty surgery hospital, so we do not perform traditional spays or routine neuters. Your family veterinarian does those beautifully, and they remain your dog’s primary doctor. We offer the laparoscopic option for families who want it, and we send a full report back to your veterinarian after every procedure.
Two procedures that pair naturally with laparoscopy
Laparoscopic gastropexy: protection against bloat
Gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat, is the sudden twisting of the stomach that large, deep-chested dogs are prone to. It is a true emergency and can be fatal within hours. A gastropexy tacks the stomach to the body wall so it cannot twist. Done laparoscopically, it adds one small incision and a short time under the same anesthesia as the spay. In a prospective study of dogs at high risk, none of the dogs developed bloat in the year after laparoscopic-assisted gastropexy, and every attachment examined by ultrasound was still intact (Rawlings et al., JAVMA 2002). For a family with a young Dane or Shepherd, this is the single most valuable thing we can add to a spay.
Laparoscopic cryptorchid neuter: when a testicle never descended
For male dogs whose testicles descended normally, a traditional neuter is already a small external procedure, and your family veterinarian is the right person for it. Laparoscopy earns its place when a testicle is retained inside the abdomen. Retained testicles carry a much higher risk of tumors later in life, roughly nine to fourteen times that of a normal testicle in the classic studies (Hayes and Pendergrass, 1976), so they should come out. Finding one the traditional way can mean a long exploratory incision; with a camera, we locate it directly and remove it through small ports, and your dog goes home the same day with far less to heal.
What to expect
Before surgery
We start with a consultation, a physical examination and pre-anesthetic bloodwork, and we talk through your questions until you feel settled. You leave with a written estimate and a date, often within days. No food after 10:00 PM the night before; water is fine.
Surgery day
Your dog is dropped off in the morning and cared for by a team that treats every patient as if she were their own. Anesthesia is monitored continuously by a dedicated technician. Local anesthetic is placed at each small incision as part of a multimodal pain plan, so she wakes comfortable rather than catching up. Most dogs go home the same evening with written instructions, her medications, and our direct number for the evening and the days that follow.
Recovery at home
Expect a quieter dog for a day or two and then a dog who feels better than you think she should. That is the part that takes discipline: the small incisions still need about ten to fourteen days to heal, so leash walks only, no jumping on furniture, and a cone or recovery suit so she cannot lick. We check the incisions at two weeks. After that, she can go back to being fully herself.
Cost and payment
A laparoscopic spay costs more than a traditional spay, because of the equipment, the training and the surgeon’s time it requires, and we think families deserve to see the full number before deciding. You receive a written estimate at the consultation, with nothing scheduled until you are comfortable. We accept cash and major credit cards, and we work with Cherry, CareCredit and Scratchpay for monthly payment plans. If your dog is insured with Trupanion we can bill them directly through Trupanion Direct Pay; for other insurers we provide everything you need to file. See payment options.
Frequently asked questions about laparoscopic spay
What is the difference between a laparoscopic spay and a traditional spay?
Is a laparoscopic spay less painful for my dog?
Will my dog go home the same day?
Does Stitches perform regular spays and neuters?
Can my dog have a gastropexy at the same time as her spay?
Is my small dog too small for a laparoscopic spay?
How long is recovery after a laparoscopic spay?
How much does a laparoscopic spay cost in Long Beach?
Do I need a referral from my veterinarian?
References
- Devitt CM, Cox RE, Hailey JJ. Duration, complications, stress, and pain of open ovariohysterectomy versus a simple method of laparoscopic-assisted ovariohysterectomy in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005;227(6):921-927. PubMed
- Hancock RB, Lanz OI, Waldron DR, Duncan RB, Broadstone RV, Hendrix PK. Comparison of postoperative pain after ovariohysterectomy by harmonic scalpel-assisted laparoscopy compared with median celiotomy and ligation in dogs. Vet Surg. 2005;34(3):273-282. PubMed
- Culp WTN, Mayhew PD, Brown DC. The effect of laparoscopic versus open ovariectomy on postsurgical activity in small dogs. Vet Surg. 2009;38(7):811-817. PubMed
- A comparison of the rates of postoperative complications between dogs undergoing laparoscopic and open ovariectomy. J Small Anim Pract. 2019. PubMed
- Corriveau KM, Giuffrida MA, Mayhew PD, Runge JJ. Outcome of laparoscopic ovariectomy and laparoscopic-assisted ovariohysterectomy in dogs: 278 cases (2003-2013). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2017;251(4):443-450. PubMed
- DeTora M, McCarthy RJ. Ovariohysterectomy versus ovariectomy for elective sterilization of female dogs and cats: is removal of the uterus necessary? J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011;239(11):1409-1412. PubMed
- Rawlings CA, Mahaffey MB, Bement S, Canalis C. Prospective evaluation of laparoscopic-assisted gastropexy in dogs susceptible to gastric dilatation. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2002;221(11):1576-1581. PubMed
- Hayes HM Jr, Pendergrass TW. Canine testicular tumors: epidemiologic features of 410 dogs. Int J Cancer. 1976;18(4):482-487. PubMed