Minimally Invasive Surgery

At Southpaws we are leaders in ‘keyhole’ surgery for dogs and cats.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) or ‘keyhole’ surgery uses very small incisions through which a high-definition telescope camera and thin instruments are passed. Your surgeon views the operating field on a monitor and works with extraordinary precision, without the wide wound and prolonged healing that open surgery requires. The camera prides magnification and bright lighting so that structures in the abdomen or thorax can be seen easily.

The benefits are real and measurable: significantly less post-operative pain, a markedly reduced risk of surgical-site infection, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal compared to open surgery. For pets that are anxious about clinic visits, less recovery time means less stress all round.

Some of the basic MIS procedures we perform are:

• Prophylactic gastropexy
• Desexing of female dogs
• Removal of retained testes in male dogs
• Liver biopsies

More advanced MIS surgeries done at Southpaws include:

• Removal of adrenal tumours
• Removal of gall bladder for gall bladder mucoceles
• Lymph node removal

Gastric dilatation-volvulus — commonly known as bloat or GDV – is one of the most devastating emergencies in veterinary medicine. The stomach fills with air and twists on itself, cutting off its own blood supply. Without emergency surgery within hours, it is fatal. Large and giant-breed dogs with deep chests are at significantly elevated lifetime risk: breeds such as Great Danes, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles, Weimaraners, and Irish Setters are among those most commonly affected.

A prophylactic gastropexy permanently attaches part of the stomach to the abdominal wall — eliminating the risk of the life-threatening twist component of bloat.

At Southpaws we perform this procedure entirely intracorporeally — meaning every suture is placed inside the body using keyhole instruments, with no need to create an incision to exteriorise the stomach. This total intracorporeal technique represents the gold standard in laparoscopic gastropexy and is performed through just one or two ports.

The procedure is ideally combined with desexing, adding very little additional time and no additional recovery. If your dog is an at-risk breed, speak to your referring vet or contact Southpaws directly — this simple operation could one day save their life.

Ask your vet about prophylactic gastropexy at your next visit — ideally before 2 years of age.

The traditional desexing surgery for female dogs involves a midline incision several centimetres long requiring several days of restricted activity. Laparoscopic ovariectomy — keyhole removal of the ovaries — achieves the same outcome through two incisions each less 0.5 – 1 cm long.

Evidence consistently shows that dogs undergoing laparoscopic ovariectomy experience significantly less pain in the hours after surgery than those receiving open ovariohysterectomy. Most patients are comfortable and mobile the same evening, and can typically return to lead walks within 48 hours.

Ovariectomy alone — removal of the ovaries without the uterus — is the standard of care in many European countries and is appropriate for the vast majority of healthy female dogs. It eliminates the hormonal cycle, prevents unwanted pregnancy, and dramatically reduces the risk of mammary tumours when performed early. The uterus, deprived of ovarian hormones, remains healthy and quiescent.

WHY OVARIECTOMY RATHER THAN OVARIOHYSTERECTOMY?

Removing only the ovaries is simpler, faster, and causes less tissue trauma. Without ovarian hormones, the uterus remains healthy in virtually all cases. This approach is the established standard across Europe and is increasingly favoured in Australia for its reduced surgical risk. When performed together with prophylactic gastropexy in an at-risk breed, the combined laparoscopic procedure is genuinely transformative — one short anaesthetic, two small wounds, and a pet back on their feet in a day.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is the most common congenital heart defect in dogs. A small blood vessel (the ductus) that is supposed to close at birth remains open, forcing the heart to work far harder than it should. Left untreated, PDA causes progressive heart enlargement and eventually heart failure.

Until recently, correction required open-chest surgery — a major undertaking in a small young dog with a significant risk of bleeding.

Southpaws is delighted to announce that we now offer transcatheter PDA closure using the Amplatz Canine Duct Occluder (ACDO). The ACDO is a tiny plug that is guided through a catheter inserted into a vessel in the groin and navigated to the heart under fluoroscopic (real-time Xray) guidance, where it is deployed precisely within the ductus. The vessel seals within minutes. There is no chest incision. Most dogs are discharged the following day and can resume normal activity within 2 weeks.

If your dog has been diagnosed with a heart murmur or suspected PDA, early referral is strongly encouraged — the procedure is most straightforward when undertaken before significant cardiac remodelling occurs. Please ask your primary care veterinarian about a referral to Southpaws for PDA occlusion.

Southpaws has fixed price packages for all these keyhole surgery procedures so that pet owners know the exact price they will pay – https://www.southpaws.com.au/pricing-packages/

These procedures are normally covered by insurance if there are no pre-existing conditions exclusions. Our reception team can assist with seeking pre-approval for insurance owners need.