# No keyhole!



## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello all

Sorry for this post as I know there has been many other similar ones but I wanted your opinions & recent stories of key hole - I took Darcie to the vets today & discussed having her spayed which we have decided to have her done in a few weeks once she is 6months aslong as she doesn't come into season before then! I am alittle concerned though as out vet doesn't offer keyhole surgery which I was really hoping for  

Would you recommend I look for another vet who offers keyhole or stay with my normal one & go with the standard procedure??

All advice greatly appreciated x


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## Duckdog (Jul 23, 2012)

Well from the results I have seem so far this evening with Binky I would def go to a different vet for keyhole.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

My vets didn't offer me keyhole, just a normal spaying. I then found out that their 'sister' branch did offer keyhole, but by then Millie had already been spayed. She was knocked for six by the spaying, didn't wee for a couple of days or poo for a few days past that. She was quite washed out for a good 6 days.

Keyhole spaying is a bit more expensive, but less invasive. I've only heard good from keyhole spaying. 

If I could do it all again, I'd do keyhole without thinking twice about it. I really regret not having researched it properly at the time.


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## xxxxxxxxhantsmummy (Mar 12, 2012)

Honey had a normal spay and by the next day was back to her normal self x


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Ah I think this may be a tough decision, I am swaying more towards the keyhole just not sure easy it is to use a different vet - I will do some research over the new few days! 

Would you mind letting me know how much you paid for the op? I wouldn't mind paying extra for keyhole if it means a better recovery for her


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## Duckdog (Jul 23, 2012)

I paid £330


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Bonnie made a very quick recovery after her keyhole surgery.


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## Kody&Beau (Aug 18, 2012)

I would definitely recommend keyhole that's what Beau had and recovery was amazing. My normal vet who I had been with for 18 years did not offer keyhole so I managed to find another vets which also was an accredited animal hospital local to me that did. I was so impressed with the whole procedure and their facilities I have now moved my animals to their care. If im honest it was time for a change of vets anyway as I felt my old vets were not as upto date with things as this vets are so all in all a good experience. If you do decide to go to another vet for the spay but return back to your usual one after there really shouldn't be a problem, initially that was what I was going to do and my old vet was fine with that.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

Personally I would go with the less invasive "keyhole". I'm getting a male pup, but also considering going with the Zuetering. But in order for me to do that I would have to go to Jacksonville, FL which is 2 1/2 hours away from where I live. So I would have the drive there and back and plus the procedure which is an ALL day experience. But I think it will be worth is in the long run for the dog.

I haven't done much research on the Keyhole procedure as we don't plan on getting an girl. But it being less invasive is a big plus for me.


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## Lozzie (Apr 1, 2012)

I read all the threads on here about keyhole and when I tried to search online for studies all that I could find was forum after forum of people talking about it. My vets offer both. I asked my vet what his thoughts were given my inability to research the subject myself. 

I think that the main point to make is that every dog is different. You really can't base your decision on hearing how well other people's dogs behaved because you cannot test that same dog twice! He also said that although he started a keyhole spay on his own dog there was a complication and he ended up doing a traditional spay anyway. As for the invasiveness, he said that this kind of surgery is normally used when the thing you're operating on is really small (like knees or a spay on a small dog) and that generally there isn't much to be gained from keyhole spay over traditional. Finally he explained to me about how the final wound would differ. He told me that with a keyhole there would be two incisions each a maximum of one inch long whereas with a traditional it would be one to two inches long. He explained that the length of the wound doesn't really matter as they heal across ways not longways. A traditional spay cost us £200. I think the keyhole would have been nearer to £350. Willow has healed really really well. She was knocked for six by the anaesthetic and barely moved for the first four days but as we were told to keep her calm for as long as we could this was definitely a bonus because as soon as she was feeling better she started to play with Bracken again and two weeks after the spay she has banged her wound (which was healing brilliantly- the vets looked impressed with their work at the check-ups!). It is now a tiny bit red at one end approx a 1cm diameter but nothing to worry about and that could have happened with a keyhole spay too. 

Willow also had a cough from the tube being down her throat (again, happens either way) but that went after a few days just as the vet had said it would. 

Willows wound is approximately 1 and 1/2 inches long by the way. 

All in all I would say that it just comes down to how you feel. If you can easily afford the more expensive keyhole spay and would rather do that then that's ok. If you can't really afford the additional amount, I would say don't feel that you're not giving your dog the best or 'going for the cheaper option' or anything else that generally makes you feel bad about your decision. 

I can obviously only speak from my own experience and other people may have different stories to tell. Put simply, when its Bracken's turn I'll chose traditional again. 

Good luck with your decision!

Ps- Sam, glad to hear Binks is doing well!!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

That is really interesting to read Laura... I had never thought about the fact that the wound heals across, which is so obvious now I think about it...
Kiki had a traditional spay and the worst thing was the anaesthetic, once she had recovered from that she was fine. Hardest thing keeping her calm.
No stitches - just glue. No dressing, we used a onesie to ensure she didn't lick at the woud site- but she really showed no interest in her wound at all.
The wound was less than 2" and was completely healed by day 10.
Vet was brilliant, she had two follow up appointments at day 3 and day 10 and the total cost was £175.


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## Duckdog (Jul 23, 2012)

We had a disturbed night with Binky for pee breaks but other than that fine. This morning you would not know she had an operation. We have been out for a 40 min walk on lead and she is tearing around the place as per normal.

As Laura says every dog is different and you should do what is right for you every time.


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Many thanks for your replies and thank-you so much for taking the time to explain your experience Laura it has really helped and now I have opinions of both - still a difficult decision but hopefully over the next few days and after speaking to my vet i will come to the right decision for both me & Darcie! Thank-you again 

Pleased all your pooches have recovered so well


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## Lozzie (Apr 1, 2012)

Sorry if it came across as a rant at all!! I just felt that when I was trying to research it online all I really found was people raving about keyhole and saying it was better with no real evidence behind that other than "my dog recovered really quickly". I want to admit that when I made the decision to go for traditional based on my fact gathering but tipped by the price difference, I did feel like I was putting the cost above the well being of Willow and thought I was being a bad mummy- but I think the only reason I felt like that was because there weren't many traditional spay people saying things like I have in my previous post. I'm ranting again aren't I..!? I'm probably being over sensitive to the previous threads on this topic!! I think I made the right choice for us and maybe I have a particularly good vet to have left such a small scar! Just don't feel guilty like I stupidly did!! I'm over it now! (As you can tell  ) X


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I had Betty keyhole spayed and was delighted at the outcome. She was back to her normal self by the end of the day. I have never heard of anyone having a bad experience with keyhole but have heard of good and bad outcomes with the normal procedure.


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## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

We went traditional... Both money driven and vets advice, he too said that in a relatively small dog there wasn't a lot to be gained in doing a keyhole procedure. 

I must admit I initially felt guilty that my purse had directed my decision although of course I also went with my vets advice. The recovery time is definitely the difference. Molly too was out of it for a few days but with that, she wasn't bouncing around. She in no way suffered, she whined a little the first night but that was it. 

By day 6 she was grand, no complications at all and you now can't see any scar.

Make a decision that you feel happy with, I think it's unfair to say that one option is better , EVERY procedure/anaesthetic carries with it risks.... 

xxx


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi all 

I think my decision has been made for me - still very apprehensive about it all but i think we are going to go for the traditional instead of Keyhole! I have contacted 3 vets all within 30miles of where I live and unfortunately non of them offer keyhole (much to my suprise & slight disappointment)

If one of them had offered it i would have certainly gone for keyhole but i think the decision has been made for me as i dont really want to travel too far with Darcie in mind! Staying with a local vet for the procedure seems the best option incase of any problems, follow up appointments and also for piece of mind knowing Darcie is familiar with them. 

Alittle worried about the recovery time but aslong as Darcie is not in anymore pain/discomfort with the traditional procedure then i think it is the way for us - she will certainly be looked after and taken good care of until she is fully recovered and i guess that is the main priority  x


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## tosh (Feb 10, 2012)

Mitzi had keyhole and recovered well. It is more expensive but for us the decision was to make her as comfortable as possible and the least invasive the procedure the better for her.


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