Pioneering Pet Care with Advanced Technology & Procedures

Published on: Dec 24, 2019

Leading the pack on innovation 

As pet owners, we all want the best possible care and treatment options for our pets, and today we see more and more human medicine options become the norm for our pets.  

As vets, we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with advancements in our industry and strive to be early adopters of innovative options in pet healthcare. Investment in people and equipment is vital for vet practices to stay up to date and at Wells Vets we have lots of equipment such as dental x-rays.

Over at the main practice Shepton Vets offer advance surgical procedures and were one of the first practices in our area to offer laparoscopic or ‘keyhole’ spay procedures for dogs; and with over 200 procedures under our belt, it is become an option of choice for many dog owners.   

Keyhole spay, is considered a less intrusive method of neutering for female dogs and has a quicker recovery time. Of course, routine neutering is an important part of our job, with benefits for pet welfare and population control. However, particularly for bitches, it is important to remember that this is still a significant surgery, with the traditional method being very similar to a hysterectomy in humans 

Veterinary medicine is an ever-developing world and, as a practising vet, it is important that I keep up to date with advancements in our knowledge. In fact, continuing professional development is not only a strict requirement, regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, but is an enjoyable and rewarding part of the profession. My regular returns to the classroom, ‘webinars’ and catch ups with the veterinary journals reassure me that I am keeping pace with current knowledge and providing my patients with a high standard of clinical care. 

Most often, our learning focusses on management of complex medical or surgical conditions, while the more ‘routine’ parts of the job continue day-to-day. For example, the fundamental techniques of routine neutering surgery in general practice have remained fairly unchanged for most of my 16 years in practice. In recent years however, specialists have been recommending a newer technique for our routine bitch spays, and so it was that, in 2016, I visited a referral practice in Bristol to learn how to perform a laparoscopic bitch spay. 

A laparoscopic spay, otherwise known as a ‘keyhole’ spay, is considered a less intrusive method of neutering for female dogs, and has a quicker recovery time. Of course, routine neutering is an important part of our job, with benefits for pet welfare and population control. However, particularly for bitches, it is important to remember that this is still a significant surgery, with the traditional method being very similar to a hysterectomy in humans. 

This type of surgery is more expensive than the traditional approach, as it requires specific equipment and an extra surgical assistant, but many pet owners consider this is a small price to pay for the additional benefits and it is increasingly offered by veterinary practices across the country. 

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