September 14, 2013
Jesse, a dog with the SPCA of Wake County, has been battling liver failure for months. He then developed a urinary blockage from bladder stones. Using the new Minimally Invasive Surgical method now available at Care First Animal Hospital at Oberlin, Jesse’s stones were removed with minimal pain and less anesthesia, and he returned to his foster family the very next day! Dottie, a young, energetic Golden Retriever, was brought in for her spay in the morning, and was able to attend dayschool and daycamp the next day, without pain meds and exercise restriction! Hunter had been losing weight for months, with no answers on blood work and routine imaging. After a 20 minute procedure, biopsies were out to the lab, and Hunter was able to go home and eat lunch within two hours. 
These are just three of the many patients benefiting from Minimally Invasive Surgery (or laparoscopy), which is the standard in human medicine and is significantly improving the quality of our pet’s lives after surgery. Rather than a larger incision in the body wall, laparoscopy requires only 2-3 smaller incisions the size of a pencil, through which surgeries (such as spays, biopsies, nasal, bladder, and exploratory surgeries) can be performed. Tissue and blood vessels are sealed rather than cut and sutured, which significantly decreases the risk of blood loss and eliminates the risk of internal suture reactions. The magnification provided by the camera used during the procedure allows for better visualization of organs, aiding in diagnostics.
Care First Animal Hospital is one of the first private veterinary practices in the Raleigh area to offer this service. “Traditional surgical methods are effective and safe,” said Dr. Joe Gordon, a veterinarian at Care First Animal Hospital at Oberlin in Raleigh, NC, “however, we feel the laparoscopic approach allows numerous benefits to the pet, including decreased post-operative pain and allowing the return to full activity much faster. We are excited to offer this advanced technology to our patients.”
By incorporating a state of the art endoscopy system from VetOvation, Inc, Care First Animal Hospital has introduced human technology and technique into veterinary medicine. We are proud to offer this advanced technology to our patients to help them have a less invasive surgery and a more comfortable recovery post-surgery. If you have any questions about the new laparoscopy procedure, please call our Oberlin facility at 919-832-3107.
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