Complications of Ovariohysterectomy and Orchiectomy in Companion Animals

Christopher A. Adin, DVM
Vet Clin Small Anim 41 (2011) 1023–1039
September 2011

Ovariohysterectomy (OVH) and orchiectomy are two of the most commonly performed surgeries in companion animal practice. Techniques for accomplishing surgical sterilization vary widely between geographic areas. While a ventral midline OVH is the standard technique in the United States, veterinarians in continental Europe commonly use a ventral midline ovariectomy, and practitioners in the United Kingdom perform flank OVH. Interestingly, retrospective analyses have shown no significant differences in the rate of stump pyometra, urinary incontinence, or other complications when these techniques are compared, so there is no strong rationale to prefer one technique over another.