We are excited to be one of the few veterinary hospitals in the West Chester area to offer laser surgery as a minimally invasive option for our clients.
What is Laser Surgery?
Laser surgery uses a high intensity energy beam instead of a scalpel for cutting into tissue. The cut is made due to the instantaneous vaporization of water in a tissue. This method allows for precise incisions under an expert hand. The beam seals off blood vessels and nerve endings as it cuts, reducing the risk of bleeding or pain.
Why choose laser over traditional surgery?
Although every surgery is different and there are risks to any surgical procedure laser surgery offers some advantages if it is an option for your pet. Often these procedures performed by Dr. Bianco are done without general anesthesia and require only local anesthetic blocks so your pet can not feel anything during the surgery. Depending on the procedure being done sutures may not be required and if so, there is usually no need for the dreaded cone of shame (E-collar). While we typically send home some pain meds for a few days, the pain associated with laser surgery is less than with traditional surgery.
What happens the day of surgery?
In the morning your dog can eat breakfast and have access to water like normal (unless you are instructed otherwise due to additional procedures being done such as dental cleanings). We have you drop off in the morning where Dr. Bianco often likes to talk with your about the procedure before you leave your pet with our staff. Once your pet is ready for surgery Dr. Bianco administers a local anesthetic block to the area so your pet won't feel anything. Once the block is complete Dr. Bianco will prepare the laser and one of our staff will be tasked with assisting him as well as offering your dog some ear scratches or belly rubs while they stand on a surgical table for the procedure. After a nice little petting session your dog is done and ready to be monitored by our staff for awhile before heading home.
More information
Cutting Edge is the brand of laser we use. If you're interested in reading more about them check out their website.