Veterinary Emergency and Surgery Course

Lesson 1 • Rapid Patient Assessment Techniques

Covers the primary survey and ABCDE approach for emergency patients. Builds the assessment speed and accuracy required in all emergency chapters.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Medicine Principles and Scope

Defines veterinary emergency medicine, its scope, and ethical obligations. Grounds students in the framework guiding all subsequent emergency decisions.

Lesson 3 • Patient Triage Systems and Prioritisation

Teaches structured triage methods for rapid patient sorting. Connects systematic assessment to life-saving intervention sequencing.

Lesson 1 • Drug Preparation and Sterile Handling

Covers aseptic technique for drawing up and labelling emergency drugs. Prevents contamination errors that compromise patient safety.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Drug Categories and Mechanisms

Surveys drug classes used in emergencies and their mechanisms of action. Provides the pharmacological foundation for all drug administration decisions.

Lesson 3 • Dose Calculation and Route Selection

Teaches weight-based dosing, unit conversions, and route-specific considerations. Ensures accurate drug delivery across patient sizes and species.

Lesson 4 • Species-Specific Pharmacological Considerations

Addresses unique metabolic and sensitivity differences across common veterinary species. Prevents dosing errors caused by interspecies pharmacokinetic variation.

Lesson 1 • Intraosseous and Central Venous Access

Covers IO needle placement and central line insertion for patients with poor peripheral access. Expands access options when standard IV placement fails.

Lesson 2 • Fluid Resuscitation Protocols

Applies shock classification to structured resuscitation volume and rate decisions. Bridges fluid knowledge to real-time clinical decision-making.

Lesson 3 • Peripheral Venous Catheter Placement

Teaches site selection, catheter sizing, and insertion technique for peripheral IV access. Forms the baseline skill for all fluid and drug delivery tasks.

Lesson 1 • Alternative Airway Devices and Techniques

Covers supraglottic devices, tracheostomy, and emergency surgical airway options. Prepares students for failed intubation scenarios requiring alternative approaches.

Lesson 2 • Manual and Mechanical Ventilation

Teaches bag-valve-mask technique and mechanical ventilator setup for respiratory support. Connects airway control to sustained ventilatory management.

Lesson 3 • Endotracheal Intubation Techniques

Teaches laryngoscopy, tube sizing, and confirmation of correct placement. Establishes the primary skill for definitive airway control in emergencies.

Lesson 4 • Respiratory Emergency Recognition and Response

Identifies acute respiratory failure patterns and initiates targeted interventions. Integrates airway skills into rapid response for dyspnoeic patients.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Rhythm Interpretation

Teaches ECG rhythm recognition relevant to arrest and peri-arrest states. Connects rhythm identification to appropriate resuscitation interventions.

Lesson 2 • Post-Resuscitation Care and Monitoring

Covers stabilisation priorities and monitoring protocols following return of spontaneous circulation. Prepares students to prevent re-arrest and optimise recovery.

Lesson 3 • Shock Classification and Pathophysiology

Differentiates hypovolaemic, distributive, cardiogenic, and obstructive shock by mechanism. Provides the physiological basis for targeted shock treatment decisions.

Lesson 4 • Cardiopulmonary Arrest Recognition

Teaches rapid identification of cardiac and respiratory arrest across species. Enables immediate activation of resuscitation without diagnostic delay.

Lesson 1 • Sterile Field Maintenance and Breaks

Defines sterile field boundaries, movement rules, and contamination response protocols. Prevents surgical site infections caused by sterility breaches.

Lesson 2 • Surgical Site Preparation and Draping

Covers clipping, antiseptic scrubbing, and sterile draping of the operative site. Establishes the infection prevention foundation for all surgical procedures.

Lesson 3 • Surgical Hand Scrub and Gowning

Teaches timed and waterless hand scrub methods, gowning, and gloving technique. Ensures personnel sterility before entering the sterile field.

Lesson 4 • Surgical Instrument Identification and Handling

Identifies common surgical instruments by category and teaches proper handling technique. Prepares students to assist surgeons efficiently and safely.

Lesson 1 • Pre-Anaesthetic Patient Evaluation

Covers physical status classification, risk stratification, and pre-anaesthetic diagnostics. Ensures patient-specific anaesthetic planning before any procedure begins.

Lesson 2 • Intraoperative Patient Monitoring

Teaches multiparameter monitoring interpretation during anaesthesia. Enables early detection of deterioration before it becomes a critical event.

Lesson 3 • Inhalant Anaesthesia and Maintenance

Covers inhalant agent properties, vaporiser settings, and maintenance depth management. Connects induction to sustained anaesthetic control throughout surgery.

Lesson 4 • Anaesthetic Drug Protocols and Induction

Teaches premedication selection, induction agent dosing, and induction technique. Builds the drug knowledge required for smooth, safe anaesthetic induction.

Lesson 1 • Postoperative Monitoring and Complication Detection

Covers recovery room monitoring parameters and early detection of surgical complications. Ensures patient safety continues beyond the operative phase.

Lesson 2 • Wound Assessment and Dressing Selection

Teaches wound classification, healing stage identification, and dressing type matching. Bridges operative closure to effective postoperative wound management.

Lesson 3 • Suture Materials and Wound Closure

Differentiates suture types by absorption, tensile strength, and tissue reactivity. Enables appropriate suture selection and closure technique for each wound type.

Lesson 4 • Surgical Assistance Roles and Techniques

Defines scrub and circulating roles and teaches tissue handling, retraction, and suction. Prepares students to provide effective intraoperative support to the surgeon.