Mayhem has her big surgery!

Having a young dog can be the most fun and the most frustrating experience. I’ve had my fair share of puppies, and being the “crazy Lab lady” most of them have been high energy verging on psychosis. I love it though and get puppy fever more often than is normal.

My most recent Puppy, Mayhem, was born in February and recently it was time for her to get spayed. One of the hardest parts of having a dog, on top of the crazy puppy stages, is the part where they need to undergo a major surgery. They cannot speak to tell you that the doctors and nurses treated them well, they cannot tell you how much it hurts, or how much the medications affect them. Because of that, I am always a nervous wreck with my furry children’s medical care and am always looking for the least invasive way to treat them.

With what I do I am lucky enough to know many different people in the animal business and talk about and explore options for the care of the dogs, both my own and the client dogs. Enter Veterinary Surgical Specialists (VSS) in Tustin. I was able to discuss with them the option of the Laparoscopic Ovariectomy. With this procedure, the surgeon goes in Laparoscopically and removes the ovaries versus the traditional method of cutting the dog open and removing the ovaries and uterus. I was told there is practically no down time for the dog after and much less painful. I was sold!

Dr. Cambridge and his staff at VSS were amazing with my questions and general anxiety about my baby. I really am a lunatic when it comes to this stuff. Mayhem came out and was sleepy that first night from the anesthetic, but was back in action the next day as if nothing happened!! I have had dogs spayed in the past in the traditional way and they were down for a week with some pretty significant pain. My husband and I were both thrilled at the difference and I am certain I won’t ever have a dog spayed or neutered any other way.

I was so impressed with VSS, of course, but over the moon about how great it was for Mayhem I had to share the information.

I was told too that for dogs that are prone to bloat/Gastric Dilatation Volvulus or "GDV" (large breed, or deep chested dogs are most prone, but are not the only breeds) the surgeon can tack the stomach internally (Gastropexy) while performing this surgery laparoscopically so to minimize the likelihood of the dogs bloating. (If you are unfamiliar with dog bloat and have a large breed dog, please do look it up) They can also do a laparoscopic Gastropexy for prevention on dogs that have already been spayed/neutered with a fast recovery and tiny incision. Pretty amazing stuff.

Mayhem still continues to show off her puppyness and gives me a run for my money…I look forward to many years to come.

~Lysa Knight, CPDT, Co-Owner Tustin