Tim Charlesworth, head of surgery at Eastcott Veterinary Referrals
Swindon Vets Introduce Minimally-invasive Surgery For Dogs
2 years ago 
491 views
A leading multidisciplinary veterinary hospital is now offering laparoscopic surgery to remove diseased gall bladders in dogs.
Eastcott Veterinary Referrals, which is based in Swindon and part of Linnaeus, says issues with gall bladders in canines are becoming increasingly diagnosed and the decision to remove an affected gall bladder is usually straight forward if a pet is showing clinical signs.
However, it can be harder to opt for surgery if an animal is not showing any symptoms, as owners may be concerned about the risk of intra- or post-operative complications.
This new minimally-invasive procedure offers patients advantages such as a smaller wound size, increased comfort and a faster return to normal function.
Tim Charlesworth, head of surgery at Eastcott Veterinary Referrals, said: “We are noticing a considerable increase in the number of pets being diagnosed with gall bladder mucocele (GBM), which is an abnormal excessive accumulation of gelatinous sludge within the gall bladder.
“Surgery is often the answer in these cases but there is always a risk of complications. There are also sadly potential risks of inaction if, for example, it was to progress to rupture.
“With this in mind, we wanted to offer affected pets and their owners with an option that would substantially reduce these risks wherever possible.
“Although removal of a gall bladder is most often performed through an open surgical approach, it is now possible to remove gall bladders using laparoscopy in select cases” he added.
While Eastcott would not recommend laparoscopy for cases of obstructive GBM, or in cases of gall bladder rupture, laparoscopy does provide a way of removing early stage GBM in a minimally-invasive way.
Tim said: “At Eastcott, we always take steps to ensure pets have a shorter recovery period and are able to get back to normal, living a happy and healthy life.
“We are fortunate to have excellent facilities that can help our experienced team with this and we use all our resources to make the best possible decision to ensure a suitable outcome for a pet.
“We are always on hand if veterinary practices in the area or pet owners would like to discuss the possibility of this procedure for pets in the region,” Tim concluded.
Eastcott offers specialist expert care in cardiology, dentistry, internal medicine, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oncology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, laparoscopy, neurology, diagnostic imaging, CT and MRI, anaesthesia and analgesia and emergency and critical care.
For more information, visit www.eastcottreferrals.co.uk or search for Eastcott Veterinary Referrals on social media.
More from Linnaeus Group
- West Midlands communication agency celebrates national award for veterinary marketing campaign
- Senior receptionist celebrates 10 years at Ashby vet practice
- Best 'paws' forward for worthy cat cause
- Dog cheats death thanks to surgery skills of Cheshire vets
- Elderly dog given new lease of life following complex spinal surgery
