Laser Pet Surgery

Every pet owner has many questions in mind while deciding for routine surgery for their pet:
Will the surgery be very painful? How much pain will the pet suffer after the surgery? Some of these routine procedures can be distressing for pets, for example, feline declaws? This particular surgery can be very uncomfortable for the pet for up to a few days after the surgery. However, with modern technology, we can help reduce surgical pain and post-op swelling significantly.

Laser surgery is one such tool with which doctors are able to ensure a less unpleasant surgery. With laser, there is less bleeding, less pain and less swelling both during and after the surgery. Laser surgery involves using a laser beam instead of a scalpel blade to cut the tissue.

We prefer to use laser for our feline declaw surgeries at North Town Veterinary Hospital. By using the laser, surgery is done very quickly, and cats are more comfortable during the post-op period. As laser also helps to control any bleeding, we do not use tourniquets on the legs while doing the surgery. This also helps to reduce any chances of surgical complications.

Laser surgery provides the same benefits for other surgeries as well, particularly mass removals. In areas where the chances of bleeding are high and there is not enough tissue to place sutures to control the bleeding, the use of laser is very helpful. Examples of these mass removals would be a mass in the ear pinna or on the eye lids, or a soft palate excision. Other surgeries with which the laser is beneficial include stenotic nares correction (to adjust complications in the airway), the removal of distichiasis (which are eyelashes growing on an abnormal location of the eyelid, or growing in an unusual direction), and anal sacculectomy (the removal of a pet’s anal glands).

Using laser in surgeries provides many benefits, and often makes many surgeries proceed quickly and more smoothly. If your pet is in need of surgery, consider laser as an option as there are some significant benefits!

by Dr. Raghbir Saini