Full spay or keyhole?

[Acheypain]

Hi, just that really. My dog is booked in for full spay op in August. My daycare are telling me to go for keyhole option at another vets.
Anyone any experience? My vet said wounds will heal at the same rate however big they are and she advised the full job. I would have to go to a different vet for keyhole as mine don’t do it.
Please help x

[SlothMama]

I had my girl done with keyhole last week and she's been great, very small incisions and they've not bothered her at all. The wounds may recover at the same rate but my vet said internally the healing is quicker with keyhole so the recovery time is shorter.
It did cost me an extra £100 on a traditional spay, but I'd do it again for any future girls! However you may be better keeping your appointment as right now the waiting lists for spays are long.

[Acheypain]

@SlothMama thanks for replying. I just called the keyhole vet and they’re going to ring me back on Monday. She said it’s about £390 for the keyhole. Is that around what you paid?

[Borris]

What size dog? IMO small dogs end up with an incision of very similar size with either spay. But larger breeds and especially deep chested dogs are much more comfortable post op with keyhole.

[Acheypain]

@Borris she’s a working cocker spaniel. I guess she’s maybe 13kg.

[SlothMama]

That's around the same that I paid, what size of breed is she? As alot of the quote is based on weight for the anaesthetic

[SlothMama]

Just saw your response! Same size as mine then, so that's a very similar price.
I have struggled with keeping my girl quiet and have had to make barriers to stop her jumping on things. But we have our follow up on Monday so 12 days post op and hopefully the vet will clear her for longer on lead walks

[Acheypain]

@SlothMama it’s a while since she’s been weighed. She’s a medium sized working cocker. I might have to see if she’ll hop on my bathroom scales!

[Acheypain]

@SlothMama I guess you’d have to keep her even quieter if she’s had the full op with the bigger wound. Ours is pretty lazy in the house (for a spaniel). Does she have to get her stitches out? Did you get her one of the vests to keep her off her stitches or did you get a cone?

[SlothMama]

And she'd have to be kept quiet for longer which is why I went for keyhole! I bought her a surgery suit and a inflatable collar, but she's not been bothered at all with her stitches I've not used either. But it's best to be prepared just in case!
The stitches should dissolve but because she's very relaxed with the vet they might take them out if the wound is healing nicely. I'll just see what the vet thinks on Monday

[Lonecatwithkitten]

We only recommend 10 days lead only exercise for full open surgery. There really is very little in recovery.
There are benefits and disadavantagrs to both procedures and some keyhole procedures end up being converted to a full open procedure.

[Acheypain]

@Lonecatwithkitten so would you go for the full job rather than keyhole?

[Borris]

I'm planning on keyhole for my pup if she ends up bigger than about 10kg.