Lateral Flank Versus Ventral Midline Laparotomy Approaches for Ovariohysterectomy in Dogs

Ovariohysterectomy (OVH) is the most widely used surgical procedure for population control in dogs. This study compared the ventral midline (VM) and right lateral horizontal cranio-caudal flank (CF) approaches for OVH regarding incision length, abdominal wall bleeding, ease of ovarian and uterine pedicle ligation, operative time, and postoperative complications. Twelve healthy adult female dogs were randomly assigned to two groups, with six dogs undergoing OVH via the VM approach and six via the CF approach.No significant difference was observed in skin incision length between the VM (5.8 ± 1.0 cm) and CF (5.33 ± 0.74 cm) groups. However, the VM approach was associated with less abdominal wall bleeding and provided easier visualization, exteriorization, and ligation of both ovarian pedicles and the uterine body. In contrast, these procedures were more difficult to perform through the CF approach. The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the VM group (27.5 minutes) than in the CF group (41.5 minutes). Postoperative recovery was uneventful in dogs operated through the VM approach, whereas wound dehiscence occurred in two dogs in the CF group.The findings indicate that the ventral midline approach is superior to the cranio-caudal flank approach for canine OVH. It offers better surgical access, reduced abdominal wall bleeding, easier pedicle ligation, shorter operative duration, and fewer postoperative complications, making it the preferred technique for routine ovariohysterectomy in dogs.