It was compared the post-operative phase (seven days) of 30 bitches, randomly divided in two groups of 15 animals and submitted to laparoscopic (group I) and conventional ovariohisterectomy (group II). Both groups were compared by behavioral and physiological parameters, as well as post-operative complications of the surgical site. A descriptive scale was used to evaluate the behavioral and post operative complications. No statistical differences were observed between the groups when the locomotion, posture, surgical wound interference, abdominal tension, vocalization, appetite, cardiac and respiratory rates, body temperature and evacuation were individually analyzed. When the behavioral and physiological parameters were evaluated together (score 1), there was evidence of major post-operative pain only in the second day in bitches submitted to conventional surgery. When surgical wound complications were analyzed as a whole (score 2), they were more frequent in group I. The total score (score 1 + score 2) showed similarity to post-operative recovery between the two surgical approaches.
bitch; laparoscopy; ovariohysterectomy; post-operative pain
