Pexy vet within driving distance...

[judgment]

I live in Forest City, NC. 28043.



Here is a picture that shows my travel distance to most significant local cities. I'm not sure why it is on it's side. The one I uploaded was correct.







I am looking for recommendations for an extremely well-qualified pexy vet within reasonable driving distance. For my purposes, let's say "reasonable driving distance" is 4-5 hours, so that gives me a nice big area to search. However, I am open to suggestions outside this range if there is a compelling reason to travel further.



I would like to find a vet that can do the laparoscopic surgery if possible.



I have considered contacting a reputable breeder in my state to ask for a recommendation, even though I have not bought a puppy from a breeder in my state. Do you think this is a good/bad idea?



thanks

[Angel7292]

Here is the thread I was thinking of:

http://www.dolforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77851

[Angel7292]

I don't know if it's the same thread you are talking about, but I did read a thread here where the OP said the vet did an excellent job of attaching the stomach in the wrong place with a lap pexy. This made me worry a bit.

Oh it's probably the same one. And the dane owner was a vet! So, things can happen either way. You just need to pick the vet, ask the tough questions and decide what is right for YOUR dog. You do what is comfortable for you. What I did, or someone else did, doesn't make it right for every dog.

Also, you should google the GDCA recommended surgical guide. Tons of important information there and I printed it out and went down the list with my vet PLUS a ton of other things.

[judgment]

I pretty much thought the same thing too. Well, that was until I read about the vets dog (husband does the posting) that had surgery by a colleague and the lap method went very wrong. I'll try and find the thread for you here on DOL, but it really scared me about doing it that way in the future. Perhaps this is a post you already read? LOL

I don't know if it's the same thread you are talking about, but I did read a thread here where the OP said the vet did an excellent job of attaching the stomach in the wrong place with a lap pexy. This made me worry a bit.

[oshagcj914]

So I will say this about lap. procedures... my daughter (human) has had a gammut of issues, 90% of procedures that she has had abdominally that were lapro she got a lot of adhesions, which seems counterintuitive.

Our vet only does classic too, we love our vet and I think that the visibility perhaps helps.

The abdomen sucks for forming adhesions

[dukers]

So I will say this about lap. procedures... my daughter (human) has had a gammut of issues, 90% of procedures that she has had abdominally that were lapro she got a lot of adhesions, which seems counterintuitive.

Our vet only does classic too, we love our vet and I think that the visibility perhaps helps.

[SuzanneRM82]

I went with the traditional pexy for Fergus, because that is what my regular vet does. She's done loads of them (there's a Dane breeder here in town that uses the same vet, and 2 of her current Danes have had spay/pexy surgery there), and either her or her husband did a pexy on both of their dogs that are Newfies. I trusted that they know what they are doing, and I had zero recommendations for a lap pexy without having to drive 5+ hours, so traditional seemed the way to go. Ferg didn't enjoy his 10 minute ride home, so I can't imagine he'd have liked a 5 hour one lol.

[oshagcj914]

Asaah will be having a lap spay next week. I'll be driving 3 ½ hours to use Finn's breeder's vet, who is very experienced with laparoscopic surgeries. If I couldnt find a vet who wasn't really experienced with it, I'd just do the traditional surgery.

[Angel7292]

I was initially certain that the lap was better for the dog, but the more I read the more I wonder if the increased visibility and access makes it worth doing the traditional surgery even with the added discomfort.

I pretty much thought the same thing too. Well, that was until I read about the vets dog (husband does the posting) that had surgery by a colleague and the lap method went very wrong. I'll try and find the thread for you here on DOL, but it really scared me about doing it that way in the future. Perhaps this is a post you already read? LOL

On the flip side, I do think there is better view with the incisional. On the other hand, it's certainly a bigger incision. The incisional pexy has a longer heal time on the surface of the skin, but the pexy done either way still requires the same amount of healing time internally.

For me, I wouldn't do a lap on a future dog of mine. I had a VERY hard time finding a surgeon that had the equipment (and I live in South FL) and performed that type of surgery. My vet, who I would trust with any dog of mine, had performed a pexy only under emergency situations. Phin was his very first preventative pexy. Obviously, the same surgery, but the pexy in a bloat situation is probably a heck of a lot more tense. It was funny because vet techs came in on their day off, the extra vets were there and the high school intern even had permission to take the day off to see Phin's pexy surgery. Most had never seen the procedure before because the rare time they had a bloat surgical case, it was treated immediately. This gave them all lots of time to watch and learn. I was ok with it. The more eyes on him could only make it better! Not to mention, they needed helping moving him.

In southern FL, there is not a whole lot of big dogs, it's not the "normal" routine surgery at any vet I found. Throw in finding one that had the lapro equipment and it was pretty non-existent. I just felt my personal vet was my best bet and he clearly said many times to me that it was a very straightforward surgery and that he would never offer to do it if he wasn't comfortable. LOL I gotta admit, I really stressed him out. He was relieved to get Phin's surgery over with. OBD had my vet do her other dane, Belle. I was super stressed over recommending my vet to cut open someone's dog. LOL

So yeah... there are pros and cons to the lap vs the incisional. I would highly suggest you go in and meet with the vet when you are nearing the time to get it done. Sit down and ask all of your questions. Personally, a vet you trust has a big 'pro' to me.

[judgment]

Yes, you can do a lap pexy with a spay. Doing the spay with the pexy is almost always the better choice.. anesthesia once, recovery time once, possible exposure to infection once. Plus, only a singular time of having to try and keep a dane down and quiet. LOL

Your best bet is to speak to the vet you trust. If she/he isn't experienced with doing a gastropexy, I'm pretty sure she/he can offer you some decent recommendations for surgeons to investigate.

Thank you. Based on this advice I went ahead and contacted the vet I've always used. He is retired, but his office is still open. They said they do quite a lot of these surgeries because there is a lady in our area that does Great Dane rescue and they do a pexy on all her dogs. They do not have the equipment to it laparoscopically, and said I would need to call a vet in Greenville, SC if I wanted that done.

I live in a small community, so I just assumed I would have to go to a bigger city to get a vet with plenty of experience. I'm still going to do more research on this vet before I make a decision. I am conflicted as to whether I should insist on getting the lap pexy or traditional. I was initially certain that the lap was better for the dog, but the more I read the more I wonder if the increased visibility and access makes it worth doing the traditional surgery even with the added discomfort.

[Angel7292]

Yes, you can do a lap pexy with a spay. Doing the spay with the pexy is almost always the better choice.. anesthesia once, recovery time once, possible exposure to infection once. Plus, only a singular time of having to try and keep a dane down and quiet. LOL

Your best bet is to speak to the vet you trust. If she/he isn't experienced with doing a gastropexy, I'm pretty sure she/he can offer you some decent recommendations for surgeons to investigate.

[judgment]

It just occurred to me to wonder if the laparoscopic Pexy surgery is possible/indicated when you do the spay as well.